CHILD 
TRAINING 


V'MHILLYER 


»v.'    ; 


J-  <J'^ 


%L_ 


SOUTHERN  BRANCn, 

WNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

LIBRARY, 

,LOS  ANGELES.  CALJF. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/childtrainingsysOOhill 


CHILD  TRAINING 


Pliotograpli  by  Bachracli 


HABIT  DRILL 
"Untangling   a    Snarl"— Training   in    patience,    persistence,    attenti 


on,   etc 


CHILD  TRAINING 


A  SYSTEM   OF   EDUCATION    FOR 
THE  CHILD  UNDER  SCHOOL  AGE 


BY 

V.  M.  HILLYER 

HEAD  MASTER  OF  CALVERT  SCHOOL 


NEW  YORK 
THE  CENTURY  CO. 


57834 


Copyright,  191 5,  by 
The  Century  Co. 


Published,  January,  igj^ 


Printed  in  U.  S.  A. 


H-55e 


TO 
THE  MEMORY  OF 

R.  K.  H, 


^ 


PREFACE 

This  book  sets  forth  a  system  of  training  for  a 
child  under  school  age  and  lays  out  a  course  of  lessons 
and  drills  that  can  be  given  a  class  or  an  individual 
by  either  the  trained  or  the  untrained  teacher  or  par- 
ent. 

It  may  recall  the  principles  or  theories  of  Come- 
nius,  Locke,  Rousseau,  Pestalozzi,  Herbart,  Froebel, 
James  and  others,  but  its  practical  applications  are  the 
result  of  many  years'  specializing  in  the  education  of 
young  children. 

It  aims  to  avoid  the  faults  so  common  in  child 
training  —  sentimentality,  effeminacy,  emotionalism, 
mysticism,  license  under  the  guise  of  freedom,  exag- 
geration of  the  unimportant  or  trivial,  the  attaching 
of  imaginary  value  to  the  symbolic. 

It  emphasizes  Drill  and  the  Formation  of  Habits, 
the  Cultivation  of  Qualities  and  Development  of 
Powers  by  Drill.*  It  aims  to  produce  children  who 
will  be  more  observant  and  attentive,  with  more  orig- 
inality, more  initiative  and  sharper  wits,  who  will  think 
and  act  more  quickly,  be  better  informed  and  more 
accomplished,  more  skilful  with  their  hands,  more 
courteous  and  considerate  of  others,  and  above  all, 

•Popular  expressions  such  as  "powers  and  faculties,"  though  not  strictly 
psychological,  have,  for  the  sake  of  simplicity,  been  used  throughout  the 
book, 

vii 


Preface 

healthier  animals.  It  should  furthermore  have  a  re- 
active effect  on  the  teacher  or  parent  who  gives  the 
course,  instilling  similar  habits  and  qualities  or  re- 
newing those  obliterated  by  disuse  and  neglect. 


vni 


INTRODUCTION 

Success,  mediocrity,  or  failure  in  life  is  usually 
due  to  only  slight  differences  in  education  or  charac- 
ter, not  to  any  remarkable  or  notable  variation.  Just 
a  little  more  of  this  quality  or  just  a  little  less  of 
that  and  we  have  individuals  between  whom  there  is 
a  wide  gulf  financially,  politically  or  socially.  The 
ten  dollar  a  week  bookkeeper  and  the  thousand  dollar 
a  week  railroad  president  may  have  precisely  the  same 
preliminary  education  and  display  personally  very 
similar  characteristics.  Both  can  read  and  write, 
both  can  spell,  both  can  figure  and  it  would  be  pretty 
safe  to  say  that  in  these  fundamentals  the  bookkeeper 
could  do  as  well  if  not  better  than  the  railroad  presi- 
dent. The  thing  that  does  differentiate  the  one  from 
the  other  it  may  be  difficult  to  isolate  and  name  — 
still  more  difficult  to  measure,  but  it  will  be  found  in 
some  physical  or  mental  power  or  ability  —  not  in  any 
school  acquirement  or  information.  One  man's  su- 
perior success  may  be  attributable  to  his  initiative,  per- 
sistence or  industry,  another's  to  his  critical  attitude 
of  mind  or  to  his  dependability,  while  still  another's 
is  due  merely  to  a  cordial  manner,  or  to  his  ability  to 
say  "  no  "  to  himself  and  to  others. 

ix 


Introduction 

And  yet  In  elementary  education  we  set  such  great 
store  by  reading  and  writing  which  all  children  must 
learn  and  do  learn  nowadays,  which  are  essential  for 
one  to  have  like  air  and  water,  but  no  credit  to  have 
from  the  very  fact  that  everybody  has  them.  It  is 
no  credit  to  a  man  that  he  can  sign  his  own  name 
but  a  disgrace  if  he  has  to  make  "his  mark." 
Whether  a  child  learns  to  read  at  four  or  eight,  in  a 
month  or  a  year,  whether  he  is  taught  by  the  Pho- 
netic, Synthetic,  Analytic  or  any  other  method  is  of 
little  consequence;  he  will  now  learn  to  read  eventu- 
ally and  in  good  time  in  any  civilized  community  — • 
but  whether  he  observes  accurately,  has  self  confi- 
dence, the  habit  of  initiative,  an  analytical  mind,  is 
skilful  with  his  hands,  can  think  and  act  quickly,  is 
courteous  and  thoughtful  of  others  —  are  things  he 
may  never  acquire  unless  by  direct  drill  and  things 
which  will  be  the  ultimate  deciding  factors  between 
his  future  success,  mediocrity  or  failure.  These  hab- 
its and  qualities  should,  therefore,  not  be  inciden- 
tals in  education  —  they  are  the  things  that  should  be 
done,  while  other  things  such  as  the  three  R's  should 
not  be  left  undone. 

It  is  all  right  to  postpone  reading  and  writing 
till  the  child  is  six  or  seven  or  even  older,  but  the 
numberless  qualities  and  habits  that  go  to  make  up 
character  should  be  started  with  the  start  of  Hfe. 
The  first  seven  years  are  the  most  important  of  all 

X 


Introduction 

ir:  setting  this  bias,  for  life's  route  is  one  of  a  num- 
ber of  divergent  roads.  If  the  child  takes  the  wrong 
one  at  the  outset,  each  step  along  that  road  carries 
him  farther  and  farther  away  from  the  right  one 
and  by  the  time  he  is  seven  he  is  so  far  along,  that 
to  get  on  the  right  road  either  he  must  retrace  all  his 
steps  and  start  anew,  falling  hopelessly  behind  in  life's 
race  by  this  doubling  on  his  course,  or  else  he  must 
cut  across  country  with  the  fair  prospect  of  losing 
the  way  entirely,  getting  on  still  another  wrong  road 
or  never  finding  the  right  one  at  all.  For  example, 
a  child  who  has  had  his  own  way,  or  pretty  nearly 
his  own  way,  from  infancy  till  the  age  of  seven,  is 
so  far  along  on  the  wrong  road  that  it  is  almost  a 
hopeless  task  to  set  him  back  and  have  him  start  on 
the  right  road  of  obedience.  It  follows,  therefore, 
that  to  let  the  child  "  run  wild  "  those  first  years  is 
either  criminal  neglect  or  incompetence.  The  parent 
that  does  so  is  either  lazy  or  ignorant,  or  more  often 
both.  Parents,  as  a  rule,  are  sentimentally  optimis- 
tic — "  Oh,  it  will  come  out  right  in  the  end,"  they 
say.  It  may  and  we  pray  the  good  angel  that  watches 
over  children  that  it  may,  but  if  left  to  chance  it  is 
not  likely  to  do  so. 

Every  normal  mother  wishes  her  child  to  be  a  bet- 
ter and  wiser  man  than  any  she  has  known;  she  has 
visions  of  greatness  for  him,  a  career  as  "  doctor, 
lawyer,    merchant,    chief,"    she    dreams    dreams    and 

xi 


Introduction 

plans  for  him  a  future  in  which  he  figures  as  a  superla- 
tive character.  More  often  than  not,  however,  dream- 
ing is  as  far  as  the  matter  goes  whereas  only  effort 
will  make  such  dreams  come  true. 

For  the  first  two  or  three  3^ears  the  mother  is  al- 
most exclusively  occupied,  and  properly  so,  with  the 
child's  feeding,  personal  hygiene  and  physical  care, 
though  it  is  a  common  experience  to  receive  letters 
appealing  for  educational  help  even  at  this  period. 
Up  to  this  time  she  has  had  recourse  to  treatises  on 
infant  feeding  and  care  and  these  have  furnished  all 
the  information  and  instruction  necessary  beyond  that 
which  maternal  instinct,  very  strong  at  this  period, 
has  supplied. 

By  the  age  of  three  or  four,  however,  the  child 
has  learned  to  speak  and  has  usually  been  instructed 
by  the  doting  mother  and  a  proud  father  in  the  choice 
of  certain  words  and  expressions,  taught  to  count 
his  fingers,  to  tell  his  right  from  his  left  hand,  to 
speak  "  pieces  "  and  to  sing  some  songs  for  exhibition 
purposes.  About  this  time,  however,  the  mother  be- 
gins to  feel  the  need  of  educational  help  and  advice. 
The  child  must  be  doing  something,  his  intellectual 
life  demands  attention  and  the  appeal  is  strong  for  a 
systematic  course  of  training  that  will  direct  his  na- 
tive wits  into  worth-while  channels,  develop  his  men- 
tal side  and  educate  him. 

But  the  mother  is  at  a  loss  to  whom  or  to  what  to 

xii 


Introduction 

turn.  Against  the  methods  and  courses  known  to  her 
she  may  have  well  founded  prejudice.  They  may  be 
too  metaphysical,  symbolical,  not  concrete  enough  for 
specific  application.  The  objects  aimed  at  may  seem 
too  mystical  and  elusive  for  the  common  sense,  even 
prosy  child  of  every  day  life.  It  is  usually  a  better 
working  basis  to  consider  the  child  a  "  chip  of  the 
old  block"  than  "a  manifestation  of  the  divine"  or 
"  a  part  of  the  infinite." 

Furthermore,  the  information  acquired  may  be  en- 
tirely too  abstract  and  remote  from  child  nature. 
Cylinders  and  prisms  have  no  importance  or  interest 
for  the  child  as  geometrical  solids  nor  otherwise  than 
building  blocks.  A  knowledge  of  their  names,  proper- 
ties and  relation  is  not  to  be  compared  in  either  interest 
or  value  to  that  which  horses,  cows,  butterflies  or 
steam  engines  possess  for  a  child. 

Or  the  education  may  not  be  well  rounded  and  com- 
prehensive—  only  special  features  may  be  empha- 
sized or  only  a  few  phases  of  the  child's  life  be  pro- 
vided for. 

Again,  the  education  may  seem  to  teach  the  child 
merely  to  play  and  the  mother  may  not  see  the  ad- 
vantage or  the  object  of  such  training.  She  is  told 
that  his  plays  and  games,  and  other  occupations  make 
him  more  this  or  that,  or  the  other  thing,  but  she  can- 
not see  the  results  and  they  seem  to  her  more  or  less 
mythical. 

xiii 


Introduction 

Moreover,  elementary  training  has  not  given  suffi- 
cient weight  or  regard  to  sex  differences.  The  educa- 
tion that  is  suitable  for  the  girl  is  too  feminine  for 
the  normal  father's  son.  Sex  characteristics  are  clearly 
marked  as  early  as  three  years  of  age,  and  what  is 
suitable  and  appeals  to  girls  is  unsuitable  and  even 
repulsive  to  the  normal  boy.  Not  to  regard  such  sex 
distinction  tends  to  make  amorphous  individuals  and 
there  is  even  danger  of  sex  perversion.  The  boy  who 
likes  to  play  with  dolls  or  at  being  a  mother  bird  is  an 
anomaly  that  should  not  be  encouraged. 

Therefore,  to  the  average  mother  skeptical  of  such 
training,  elementary  education  means  reading  and 
writing  and  perhaps  some  figuring,  and  so  she  sets  to 
work  to  teach  the  child  his  A,  B,  C's  long  before  such 
knowledge  possesses  any  value  for  him,  and  little  or 
no  attention  is  paid  to  the  many  and  varied  other  sides 
of  the  child's  development  and  instruction. 

The  following  system  of  "  child  training  "  is  there- 
fore offered  in  the  hope  that  it  may  help  the  mother 
in  realizing  the  high  ideals  she  cherishes  in  her  breast. 
Though  the  course  is  primarily  intended  for  the  child 
under  school  age,  it  may  be  acquired  by  a  child  of  any 
age  and  should  be  so  acquired  if  it  has  not  already 
been. 

Its  most  important  feature  is  the  Formation  of 
Habits,  physical,  mental  and  moral ;  the  Cultivation 
of  Desirable  Qualities  and  the  Development  of  Powers 

xiv 


Introduction 

—  not  indirectly,  incidentally  or  by  roundabout  meth- 
ods but  by  direct  drills. 

The  nerve  cells  —  more  properly  the  neurons  —  do 
not  increase  in  man  beyond  the  number  he  is  born 
with,  and  "  sense  training  "  and  "  memory  training  " 
are  impossible,  if  by  that  we  mean  increasing  or  de- 
veloping the  keenness  of  the  senses,  or  the  native  re- 
tentive power  of  the  mind.  Our  brain  power,  how- 
ever, is  increased  by  the  increasing  number  of  paths 
that  connect  the  neurons  and  these  paths  can  be  in- 
creased. In  other  words,  mental  training  is  gained 
by  increasing  the  association  of  ideas,  by  acting  and 
reacting  on  them,  by  forming  habits  of  attention,  con- 
centration, etc.,  by  persistent  practice  in  the  direction 
we  wish  to  excel.  //  you  stimulate  and  exercise  the 
brain  cells  properly  you  can  develop  almost  any  habits, 
abilities,  tastes,  facidties,  you  may  zvish. 

The  chief  mental  trouble  with  children,  as  well  as 
with  grown-ups,  is  lazymindedness.  To  force  the  mind 
into  activity  is  therefore  the  first  object  of  this  train- 
ing. 

To  those  accustomed  to  the  easy  going,  do-pretty- 
much-as-you-please  methods  of  early  instruction,  much 
of  the  following  work  may  seem  too  difficult,  advanced 
or  even  impossible  of  acquisition  by  a  young  child  but 
this  impression  is  because  they  are  unaccustomed  to 
drill  such  as  described  in  this  book. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  making  brain  paths  in 

XV 


Introduction 

a  hurry,  but  paths  develop  more  rapidly  when  we 
are  young,  increasingly  slowly  as  we  grow  old.  Hence 
the  inestimable  importance  of  early  forming  of  brain 
paths. 

If  you  start  early  enough  there  are  hardly  any  abili- 
ties that  cannot  be  acquired,  no  matter  what  heredi- 
tary traits  are  to  the  contrary.  Demosthenes,  though 
handicapped  by  an  impediment  in  his  speech,  there- 
fore hereditarily  unfit  for  an  orator,  became  the  great- 
est that  history  has  ever  recorded. 

If  you  start  too  late  there  is  hardly  any  great  abil- 
ity that  can  be  acquired,  no  matter  what  hereditary 
traits  predispose  to  it.  No  great  musician,  I  believe, 
was  ever  made  who  started  later  than  six  years  of 
age  on  the  course  of  his  art. 

But  it  is  not  for  the  future  alone,  it  is  also  for 
the  present  results  that  the  following  training  is  in- 
tended. It  is  to  make  children  that  will  be  a  blessing 
—  a  joy  to  be  with  and  a  delight  to  have  with  you 
and,  what  is  equally  important,  a  delight  to  others  as 
well. 


XVI 


GENERAL  INSTRUCTIONS 

CONDITIONS    FOR    TRAINING 

A  GROUP  of  your  own  and  your  neighbor's  children 
between  the  ages  of  four  and  six,  gathered  together 
in  your  home,  is  the  best  arrangement  for  the  train- 
ing described  in  this  book. 

The  home  is  the  best  place,  because  pre-school  train- 
ing is  best  given  under  the  normal  conditions  and  in 
the  usual  surroundings  of  everyday  life.  The  idea 
of  school,  of  a  class  or  of  a  room  especially  set  apart 
and  equipped  for  lessons,  is  unfavorable  to  the  best 
development.  The  nearer  to  the  heart  of  the  home, 
to  the  bosom  of  the  family,  the  richer  is  the  environ- 
ment, and  the  nearer  the  child  is  to  the  center  of  his 
world.  If,  therefore,  such  a  meeting-place  is  not  feas- 
ible, then  the  conditions  of  the  home  should  be  simu- 
lated as  far  as  possible. 

A  group  is  best,  because,  as  Quintilian  long  ago 
pointed  out,  training  with  one's  fellows  —  social  life 
" —  is  necessary  for  the  best  all-around  development. 
Such  a  group  of  children  should  partake  of  the  nature 
of  a  child's  party  or  social  gathering,  and  the  various 
activities  should  only  help  to  foster  this  idea.  The 
parent  or  teacher  then  becomes  merely  a  social  di- 
rector, training  the  child  for  proper  living  with  and 

xvii 


General  Instructions 

among  his  fellows.  This,  however,  should  not  be  con- 
strued to  mean  that  the  child's  life  should  be  all  play; 
by  no  means  —  but  work  and  play  —  business  and 
pleasure  —  as  in  the  home  and  family. 

THE    COURSE   OF    TRAINING 

The  course  of  training  that  follows  is  divided  into 
e^ight  parts  according  to  the  general  character  of  the 
activities  that  make  up  a  child's  daily  life,  and  a  sep- 
arate chapter  is  devoted  to  each  part.  These  different 
2  ctivities  are  not  clear  cut  however  —  physical  at  one 
time,  mental  at  another,  moral  at  still  another  —  but, 
a.s  in  life,  overlapping  and  merged.  These  eight  divis- 
ions of  the  course  are  as  follows: 

1  [abit    Drills    (Obedience,    Observation,    Attention, 
Concentration,  etc.) 
To  form  character  and  a  basis  for  future  edu- 
tional  work. 
l:-ociAL    Training    (Common    Courtesies,    Conversa- 
tion) 
To  give  training  in  courtesy,  in  bearing  and  for- 
bearing, in  language  and  expression. 
To  stimulate  action  and  reaction. 
I:' TORY  Telling 

To  present  models  for  emulation. 
To  fire  ambition. 
To  incite  the  imagination,  etc. 
xviii 


General  Instructions 

Physical   Training    (Exercises,    Calisthenic    Drills, 
Marches) 
To  develop  the  body,  form  proper  habits  of  car- 
riage, correct  wrong  tendencies  —  round  shoul- 
ders, bad  postures,  etc. —  and  to  give  poise,  self- 
control  and  ability  to  handle  oneself. 
Rhythmic  Arts  (Rimes,  Songs,  Singing  Games,  Folk 
Dances) 
To  train  in  rhythmic  appreciation,  dramatic  ex- 
pression, and  to  give  the  child  a  repertoire  of 
rimes,  songs  and  dances. 
Free  Play  (Plays  and  Games) 

To  teach  principles  of  fair  play  and  good  sports- 
manship, and  what  and  how  to  play,  as  well 
as  to  give  exercise  and  joy. 
To  train  in  alertness,  speed,  ingenuity,  skill,  ac- 
curacy, etc. 
Manual   Training    (Modeling,    Painting,   Drawing, 
etc.) 
To  develop  manual  skill  and  dexterity  —  the  abil- 
ity to  "  do  things  "  with  one's  hands. 
To  form  habits  of  industry,  persistence,  precision, 
neatness,  etc. 
Information 

To  impart  a  knowledge  of  some  of  the  funda- 
meritals  in  nature,  science,  art,  etc.,  including 
the  beginnings  of  reading,  writing  and  arith- 
metic. 

xix 


General  Instructions 

ROUTINE   OF    TRAINING 

First  of  all,  it  is  necessary  to  reduce  the  child's  life 
to  a  routine  —  to  a  daily  program  —  and  adhere  to  it 
—  to  have  a  time  for  his  work,  for  his  play  and  for 
his  other  functions.  Such  a  regulated  life  makes  for 
the  best  present  and  future  happiness  of  both  the  child 
and  family. 

The  parent  or  foster  parent  should,  therefore,  adopt 
one  of  the  following  suggested  programs,  or  arrange 
one  to  suit  the  special  conditions,  and  carry  out  in 
each  period  the  drill,  occupation,  business  or  activity 
as  directed  in  the  chapter  dealing  with  that  activity. 
Each  day  she  should  use  one  or  more  lessons  or  drills 
from  each  of  the  eight  Parts,  the  course  proceeding 
through  all  the  Parts  simultaneously,  not  progress- 
ing from  page  to  page  through  the  book. 

In  the  case  of  a  single  child,  or  children  in  the 
same  family,  to  be  trained  at  home,  there  should  be 
a  definite  daily  period  set  aside  for  each  of  the  eight 
kinds  of  activities  —  comprising  in  this  case  all  of  the 
child's  waking  hours,  as  suggested  in  the  special  pro- 
gram that  follows.  In  other  words,  living  and  train- 
ing should  go  hand  in  hand.  It  will  be  seen  from 
this  statement,  therefore,  that  the  idea  of  school  in 
which  there  is  constant  direction  or  surveillance  is 
not  to  be  thought  of,  and  that  the  Free  Play  will 
form  a  very  large  part  of  the  day.     The  Habit  Train- 

XX 


General  Instructions 

ing  should  go  on  at  all  times,  in  rising,  in  dressing, 
at  meals,  at  play,  and  not  be  limited  to  the  special 
time  set  apart  for  drills  in  the  regular  program. 

In  the  case  of  a  group  of  children  from  different 
homes,  a  concentrated  program  limited  to  two  or  three 
hours  must  of  necessity  be  followed,  but  this  should  not 
relieve  the  parent  from  seeing  to  it  that  each  child 
carries  out  the  principles  that  have  been  inculcated  — 
especially  the  habit  drills,  for  in  no  case  will  two  or 
three  hours  of  drill  counteract  the  effect  that  a  dozen 
hours  or  so  of  license  or  contrary  training  in  the 
home  will  have. 

In  any  case,  therefore,  the  parent  must  be  conver- 
sant with  the  course  of  training  and  cooperate  in  it. 
She  cannot  shift  the  entire  responsibility,  and  the 
teacher  must  acquaint  the  parent  with  the  nature  of 
the  training  and  call  upon  her  to  see  that  the  child  is 
kept  in  practice  at  home.  Furthermore,  when  the 
child  enters  school  the  parent  should  see  to  it  that 
the  habits  are  kept  up,  otherwise  the  pre-school  train- 
ing will  be  undone  and  wasted. 

METHOD    OF    TRAINING 

Most  of  the  directions  for  training  the  child  precede 
each  group  of  activities  and  it  will,  of  course,  first  be 
necessary  for  the  parent  or  teacher  to  become  con- 
versant with  these  preliminary  explanations,  especially 
the  one  on  Habit  Drills,  as  the  whole  system  rests  on  an 

xxi 


General  Instructions 

understanding  of  the  nature  and  importance  of  habits 
and  the  psychological  method  of  forming  them. 

But  there  is  a  most  important  general  principle  to 
note  here  —  Good  Spirit  is  essential  to  all  successful 
training  and  teaching.  Get  the  child  into  a  happy, 
interested  mood,  ambitious  to  do  well,  to  excel  and 
the  actual  teaching  or  drilling  will  be  a  joy  and  the 
maximum  results  will  be  accomplished  with  ease  and 
delight. 

This  does  not  mean,  however,  that  tears  are  always 
to  be  avoided.  Some  of  the  most  valuable  lessons  of 
life  are  learned  at  the  expense  of  tears.  Beethoven, 
as  a  child,  was  made  to  practise  the  piano  though  the 
tears  were  running  down  his  face.  Nevertheless  there 
is  hardly  any  more  important  rule  than  this  —  Get  the 
child  into  a  good  spirit  and  keep  him  in  a  good  spirit. 

Though  most  of  the  instruction  and  explanation  of 
principles  will  be  made  at  the  time  the  occasion  arises 
for  their  use,  that  is,  preceding  each  period,  the  ques- 
tions of  Moral  Training,  Punishments,  Rewards,  Speed 
and  Concentration  are  such  general  ones  applying  to 
all  periods  that  they  will  be  considered  at  once. 

MORAL   TRAINING 

Sooner  or  later  almost  every  loving  parent  wakes 
up  some  morning  to  find  that  his  child,  of  whose  up- 
rightness, purity  of  mind,  and  untainted  soul  he  was 
absolutely  certain,  has  committed  some  act  that  dis- 

xxii 


General  Instructions 

plays  unbelievably  shocking  moral  turpitude.  If  the 
parent  had  not  been  overweeningly  confident  that  "  The 
king  could  do  no  wrong,"  if  he  had  not  considered 
moral  training  superfluous  in  his  case,  if  he  had  not 
neglected  to  drill  the  child  in  habits  and  fill  his  mind 
with  admiration  of  the  right  and  abhorrence  of  the 
wrong,  the  mischief  should  not  have  happened. 

But  if  it  has  already  happened  the  parent  need  not 
be  discouraged.  All  children  have  some  degree  of  un- 
regeneracy,  of  perversion,  of  the  animal,  as  you  your- 
self know  if  you  will  only  recall  some  of  the  thoughts 
and  even  acts  of  your  own  childhood,  of  which  you 
may  shudder  now  to  think  you  could  ever  have  been 
guilty.  This  is  not  by  way  of  palliation  but  by  way 
of  encouragement.  There  is  hope  still  for  the  boy 
or  girl. 

Lying,  cheating,  stealing,  are  hard  names  for  very 
common  faults  of  childhood,  to  which  list  must  be 
added  ill  temper,  perversity,  selfishness  and  thought- 
lessness of  others.  There  are  four  chief  ways  to  cor- 
rect these  faults  and  to  fashion  the  best  type  of 
boyhood  and  girlhood — 

1.  By  Appeal  to  Right, 

2.  By  Suggestion,  Building  up  Self-Respect, 

3.  By  Story  Telling, 

4.  By  Drill  in  Proper  Habits. 

I.  Appeal  to  child's  sense  of  right,  of  what  is  fair 
and  square,  straightforward,  decent,  truthful.     Avoid 

xxiii 


General  Instructions 

the  sentimental  appeal.  Threats  of  eternal  damnation, 
"  the  goblins  will  get  you  "  or  more  concrete  punish- 
ments are  all  bad. 

2.  Suggestion  may  be  made  not  only  the  greatest 
preventive  of  wrong-doing  but  the  greatest  incentive 
to  right  action  and  ambition.  Appeal  to  the  child's 
pride;  make  the  positive  suggestion  that  he  possesses 
some  desirable  qualities  or  traits;  this  is  the  surest 
method  of  bringing  about  the  realization  of  such  quali- 
ties. Make  him  proud  of  his  reputation  for  prompt- 
ness, truthfulness,  courage,  of  his  erect  bearing,  courte- 
ous manners,  and,  in  order  to  maintain  such  record  — 
to  live  up  to  it  —  he  will  not  cry  when  hurt,  nor  lie 
to  save  himself  from  punishment;  he  will  carry  him- 
self erect,  he  will  be  on  time,  he  will  put  forth  his  best 
effort  to  continue  to  excel.  Therefore,  whenever  the 
remark  is  apropos,  say,  either  to  him  or  to  others  in 
his  hearing, 

"  John  is  courageous." 

"  He  is  not  afraid  of  the  dark." 

"  He  never  cries  when  he  hurts  himself." 

"  He  always  does  what  he  is  told." 

"  He  is  very  helpful." 

"  He  is  thoughtful  of  others." 

"  He  can  always  be  trusted." 

"  He  stands  very  straight,"  etc. 

In  the  course  of  time  he  will  invariably  try  to  live  up 
to  the  opinion  held  of  him. 

xxiv 


General  Instructions 

Conversely,  no  contrary  suggestion  should  ever  be 
made,  as  for  example,  "You  are  the  worst  child  I 
know."  Human  nature  lives  down,  as  well  as  up,  to 
its  reputation. 

3.  Story  Telling  is  another  means  of  moral  train- 
ing—  if  stories  are  told  that  inspire  emulation  of  a 
model  or  fire  ambition  and  a  regular  period  is  provided 
for  this.  Imitation  follows  on  admiration ;  whatever 
the  child  admires  he  consciously  or  unconsciously 
imitates.  If  he  admires  a  policeman  he  will  want  to 
be  a  policeman;  if  the  tight-rope  walker  at  the  circus, 
he  will  try  tight-rope  walking.  A  child  who  lives  with 
heroes  will  become  one  himself,  but  good  qualities  must 
be  made  attractive,  bad  ones  unattractive,  from  the 
child's  standpoint.  A  story  with  a  stated  or  an  obvi- 
ous moral  is  apt  to  be  less  effective  than  one  where  the 
point  is  more  subtle.  Goody-goody  tales  and  those 
with  an  obvious  moral  are  resented  by  a  normal  child, 
or  make  pious  little  hypocrites,  or  sanctimonious  Phari- 
sees. 

4.  Drill  in  habits  of  obedience,  self-control,  com- 
mon courtesies,  etc.,  provide  an  active  and  positive 
moral  training.  Provision  is  also  made  for  these  drills 
in  the  course  that  follows. 

PUNISHMENTS 

If  the  foregoing  means  of  moral  training  are  put  in 
practice,   and  especially  if  the  habit  of  obedience  is 

XXV 


General  Instructions 

formed  —  and  it  is  first  of  all  the  habits  that  are  in- 
culcated in  this  course  —  the  necessity  for  punishment 
is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  When,  however,  the  ne- 
cessity for  punishment  does  arise,  and  there  is  no 
regime  under  which  it  does  not  and  will  not  arise 
at  times,  care  should  be  taken  that  the  punishment 
is  of  the  right  kind  and  administered  in  the  proper 
spirit. 

A  child's  offense  should  never  be  treated  as  an  inten- 
tional wrong  but  as  a  lapse  which  he  will  try  never  to 
repeat,  or  a  failing  which  he  will  strive  to  remedy. 

If  feasible,  the  child  should  first  correct  the  trouble 
or  mischief  he  has  caused,  and  then  be  put  through 
some  ordeal  that  will  either  practise  him  in  right  do- 
ing or  impress  the  importance  of  right  doing  upon  him, 
so  as  to  prevent  the  repetition  of  the  offense. 

If  he  acknowledges  his  sin  or  his  fault,  the  teacher 
or  parent  should  first  endeavor  to  have  the  child  pass 
judgment  and  pronounce  sentence  on  himself.  If  thus 
appealed  to,  the  child  will  often  be  more  severe  on  him- 
self than  even  the  teacher  would  be. 

For  example,  the  following  hypothetical  case  should 
be  suggestive : 

The  child  has  been  told  he  must  not  play  with  his 
ball  in  the  house.  He  does  so  and  accidentally  smashes 
a  vase.  The  following  conversation  illustrates  the 
ideal  to  be  striven  for  though  it  is  hardly  to  be  expected 
that  a  child  will  answer  in  the  following  way  without 

xxvi 


General  Instructions 

suggestion  from  the  parent  and  considerable  practice 
in  right  moral  thinking  — 

Parent:  Did  n't  I  tell  you  not  to  play  with  your 
ball  in  the  house? 

Child:     Yes,  father. 

Parent:     And  you  did,  and  broke  a  vase? 

Child:     Yes,   father. 

Parent:  You  disobeyed  me.  You  see  the  result. 
What  do  you  think  you  ought  to  do  about  it? 

Child:     Never  play  with  my  ball  in  the  house. 

Parent:     Yes,  but  won't  you? 

Child:     I  promise. 

Parent:  Yes,  but  what  do  you  think  you  should  do 
to  make  sure  you  will  never  forget  again  ? 

Child:     Not  play  with  my  ball  at  all  for  a  week. 

Parent:     Yes,  but  how  will  you  make  up  for  it? 

Child:  Take  the  pennies  out  of  my  penny  bank  and 
buy  mother  a  new  vase. 

Parent:     Anything  else? 

Child:     Tell  her  I'm  sorry  it  happened. 

The  appeal  to  the  child's  sense  of  what  is  fair  and 
right  or  proper  is  the  best  appeal  and  will  usually  be 
met  in  the  proper  spirit. 

But  even  if  the  punishment  is  pronounced  or  inflicted 
by  the  parent,  it  should  be  accepted  by  the  child  as 
right  and  proper.  If  it  leaves  him  ill-tempered,  sin- 
ister, revengeful  or  bitter,  the  proper  effect  is  missing 

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General  Instructions 

and  the  parent  should  not  cease  till  the  right  spirit  is 
shown. 

A  child  in  a  paroxysm  of  temper  should  not  be 
argued  with.  If  overwrought  and  upset,  weeping  and 
stubborn,  he  should  either  be  left  alone  till  the  emo- 
tional storm  subsides  or  an  attempt  be  made  to  dis- 
tract his  attention  to  something  far  off  from  the  con- 
cern that  is  causing  him  all  the  trouble. 

A  child  should  never  for  an  instant  be  allowed  to 
say  "  I  won't."  With  each  repetition  of  "  I  won't," 
he  becomes  more  assertive  and  more  disobedient  by 
auto-suggestion.  The  very  first  time  he  says  "  I 
won't,"  he  should  be  summarily  dealt  with,  forcibly 
made  to  do  what  he  "  won't "  and  at  once,  so  that  he 
may  expect  the  same  severe  treatment  should  he  ever 
repeat  the  "  I  won't." 

If  the  parent  has  made  a  point  of  having  something 
done,  he  must  insist  on  its  accomplishment,  and  the 
child  should  never  be  permitted  successfully  to  main- 
tain opposition  by  force  of  tears  or  stubborn  resist- 
ance. If,  as  a  result  of  his  obstinacy,  his  emotional 
state  becomes  extreme,  the  matter  may  be  postponed 
temporarily  but  should  be  concluded  later  without 
fail. 

Loosely  to  threaten,  as  many  parents  do,  all  sorts 
of  punishments  without  enforcing  them  but  rarely,  en- 
courages disobedience  and  utterly  demoralizes  a  child. 
All  warning  threats  are  as   a   rule  bad   and   should 

xxviii 


General  Instructions 

not  be  made  without  deliberation,  but  once  made, 
unless  unjust,  should  be  strictly  adhered  to  and  en- 
forced.    Be  adamant  in  sticking  to  your  ruling. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  make  the  "  punishment  fit  the 
crime  "  in  every  case.  Herbert  Spencer's  theory  that 
punishments  should  be  "  natural  consequences  "  is  not 
practicable. 

For  the  turbulent  or  rebellious  spirit  corporal  pun- 
ishment may  be  permissible,  though  usually  the  best 
method  is  depriving  rather  than  inflicting,  the  curtail- 
ment of  some  pleasures  —  dessert,  a  story  —  or  denial 
of  a  privilege,  such  as  entertaining  a  playmate. 

There  are  several  things  punishments  should  not 
be. 

First,  they  should  not  merely  penalize,  they  should 
aim  to  be  of  future  benefit;  they  should  not  merely 
pay  back  an  old  score,  but  either  correct  the  error  or 
prevent  the  recurrence  of  the  wrong-doing. 

Second,  they  should  not  shame  nor  humiliate,  for  the 
most  potent  appeal  that  can  be  made  is  to  a  child's 
self-respect  and  if  the  child  loses  this  by  being  stood  in 
a  corner,  black  listed,  held  up  to  ridicule,  shamed  be- 
fore one  whose  approval  he  values,  he  will  never  have 
quite  the  same  spirit  again. 

Third,  a  scolding  or  "  talking  to  "  should  not  be  a 
sentimental  appeal  to  hypocritical  emotions  — "  You  're 
breaking  mother's  heart,"  "  I  'd  rather  be  dead,"  etc. 

Fourth,  it  is  a  mistake  to  impose  the  learning  of  les- 
xxix 


General  Instructions 

sons  as  a  punishment,  for  in  making  studies  a  penalty 
and  a  task,  the  possibility  of  the  child  ever  loving  his 
work  is  spoiled. 

REWARDS 

All  life  is  a  striving  after  rewards.  It  may  be  for 
money,  a  prize,  power,  the  pleasure  in  winning,  love, 
honor,  or  simply  the  satisfaction  in  something  well 
done.  The  attempt  to  purge  education  of  all  rewards 
is  mere  visionary  sentimentalism.  The  more  spiritual 
rewards  are,  of  course,  the  most  desirable  and  mere 
money  or  prize  rewards  the  worst  form,  but  that  re- 
ward should  be  used  as  a  stimulus  that  is  most  effective 
in  bringing  about  the  best  results,  in  which  must  be 
reckoned  the  effect  on  the  child's  character.  Money 
and  prizes  tend  to  make  the  child's  motives  sordid  and 
mercenary  and  for  that  reason  should  be  used  only  as 
the  last  resort  with  those  to  whom  no  other  form  of 
reward  will  appeal,  but  even  such  children  should  be 
gradually  led  to  higher  ambitions.  Rewards  that  take 
the  form  of  honors  or  privileges  are  the  best. 

SPEED 

One  who  can  work  twice  as  fast  and  play  twice  as 
fast  as  another,  can  live  two  lives  in  one,  and  as  the 
object  in  life  is  to  get  the  most  we  possibly  can  out  of 
it,  speed  is  a  most  valuable  asset.  We  all  know  how 
much  more  rapidly  one  man  works  than  another  — 

XXX 


General  Instructions 

whether  the  work  be  physical  or  mental,  or  a  combina- 
tion of  both.  It  is  not  at  all  unusual  for  one  person 
to  accomplish  twice  as  much  as  another  in  the  same 
time. 

Haste  is  not  desirable,  but  haste  implies  speed  with- 
out care.  The  child's  common  excuse,  "  I  could  have 
done  it  if  I  only  had  had  time,"  is  no  more  an  excuse 
than  to  say,  "  I  could  have  done  it  if  I  only  had  known 
how."  Speed  is  in  most  cases  a  requirement  just  as 
essential  as  accuracy  or  any  other  excellence. 

The  ultimate  possible  development  of  speed  for  sim- 
ple acts  depends  on  one's  reaction  time  and  this  varies 
in  individuals  and  cannot  be  materially  altered  by  edu- 
cation. If  the  operation  is  a  simple  recurrence  of  a 
sequence  of  motions  that  may  be  reduced  to  a  habit, 
such  as  folding  and  enclosing  letters  in  envelopes  and 
sealing  and  stamping  them,  the  speed  depends  on  one's 
reaction  time,  pure  and  simple,  to  which  fatigue  or 
effort  are  factors  common  to  all  tests  for  speed. 

But  for  attending  to  a  quantity  of  varying  details, 
such  as  general  office  work,  general  practice,  etc.,  it 
is  necessary  to  have  quick  observation,  quick  judg- 
ment, and  the  ability  to  eliminate,  as  well  as  quick  ex- 
ecution, and  these  qualities  can  be  developed  by  edu- 
cation. 

The  habit  of  speed  may  be  formed  by  timing  all  cus- 
tomary or  routine  acts  and  setting  the  child  the  object 
of  reducing  this  time.     For  actions  requiring  but  a 

xxxi 


General  Instructions 

short  time,  counting  out  loud  is  an  effective  means  of 
hastening  matters.  Thus,  in  giving  an  order  that  is 
Hkely  to  be  dalHed  over,  say  for  instance, 

"  Take  your  place  for  calisthenic  drill."  Then 
sharply  count,  "One!  two!  three!  four!"  and  so  on 
till  the  last  one  is  in  place. 

In  giving  fetching  or  finding  orders  the  teacher 
should  always  take  count  of  the  time,  till  the  habit  of 
promptness  is  f cammed.  Thus,  if  she  wishes  to  have 
a  book  brought  from  downstairs,  she  might  say, 

"  I  wonder  who  can  get  me  my  red  book  from  the 
library  table  in  the  quickest  time." 

All  say,  "  I,"  of  course. 

*'  Well,  let 's  see  how  long  it  will  take  Jack  to  get  it. 
One,  two,  three,"  etc. 

A  child  in  the  family  should  likewise  be  timed  for 
dressing,  undressing  and  performing  any  other  habit- 
ual activity,  privileges  being  taken  away  or  punish- 
ments inflicted  if  the  time  exceeds  a  reasonable  length, 
or  if  an  effort  to  reduce  it  is  not  apparent. 

CONCENTRATION 

Speed,  except  in  the  case  of  habitual  acts,  demands 
concentration,  therefore  exacting  speed  exacts  concen- 
tration, and  teaching  speed  teaches  the  habit  of  con- 
centration. A  boy  untrained  in  concentration  will 
dawdle  an  hour  over  a  sum  that  a  trained  boy  will  do 
in  sixty  seconds. 

xxxii 


General  Instructions 

The  most  satisfactory  means  of  securing  concentra- 
tion of  mind  and  purpose  is  by  setting  a  time  limit  or 
making  time  an  object.  No  other  factor  forces  such 
concentration  as  does  limited  time. 

Some  people  are  unable  to  concentrate  at  all  until 
brought  to  it  by  the  stress  of  time  shortage.  At  the 
last  moment  before  going  in  to  the  examination,  be- 
fore rising  to  speak,  before  the  train  leaves,  before  the 
paper  goes  to  press,  then  if  ever,  does  one  concentrate 
on  what  has  perhaps  been  neglected  or  put  off  until 
then. 

Therefore,  in  order  to  obtain  concentration  and  form 
the  habit  of  concentrating,  demand  speed,  make  every 
task  a  contest  against  time,  or  confer  a  privilege  for 
speedy  completion  of  any  task.  Allow  the  child  to 
play  as  soon  as  his  work  is  satisfactorily  completed  and 
not  until  it  is  satisfactorily  completed.  For  instance, 
say,  "  Just  as  soon  as  you  have  finished  this  and  it  is 
well  done,  you  may  do  what  you  please." 

Never  name  a  definite  period  of  time  for  the  child 
to  keep  at  a  task  for  that  encourages  dawdling  and 
lack  of  concentration.  In  the  language  of  the  shop, 
demand  "  piece  "  work,  not  "  time  "  work  —  the  use  of 
the  word  "  time  "  here  connoting  just  the  opposite  of 
speed.  A  workman  paid  by  the  day  will  invariably 
take  longer  than  one  paid  by  the  job,  for  in  the  former 
case  the  premium  is  put  on  long  time,  in  the  latter, 
short  time  is  made  an  object. 

xxxiii 


General  Instructions 

In  the  case  of  a  nervously  disposed  child,  limited  time 
may  at  first  aggravate  the  nervousness,  but  if  the  de- 
mand for  speed  is  persisted  in  nothing  so  effectively 
puts  a  quietus  on  all  nervous  manifestations  as  this 
same  requirement,  since  only  by  eliminating  all  signs 
of  nervousness  can  the  concentration  necessary  for  the 
greatest  speed  be  secured.  If,  for  instance,  in  the 
needle  threading  exercise  given  among  the  habit  drills 
for  attention,  a  child  in  the  contest  to  get  his  needle 
threaded  first,  jumps  up  and  down  in  nervous  excite- 
ment, jiggles  his  arms,  sputters  and  giggles  as  he  gen- 
erally does  at  first,  he  will  be  sure  to  lose.  The  speed 
demanded  requires  that  he  conquer  every  erratic  mo- 
tion and  act  and  concentrate  on  the  one  thing. 

Teachers  and  parents  are  constantly  speaking  of  the 
value  of  concentration  and  of  the  necessity  for  a  child 
to  learn  first  of  all  to  concentrate.  Now  concentra- 
tion is  a  habit  of  mind  which  some  children  form  read- 
ily or  naturally,  while  others  do  so  with  great  dif^culty. 

In  any  case,  however,  the  parent  or  teacher  can  in- 
culcate this  habit  by  insisting  constantly  that  the  child 
attend  to  the  matter  in  hand,  by  requiring  that  he  dis- 
regard all  distracting  things  and  by  calling  back  his 
attention  whenever  it  wanders. 

In  addition,  special  drills  are  given  in  Part  I  to  fos- 
ter this  habit. 


xxxiv 


PROGRAMS 

The  following  programs  are  suggested  to  meet  the 
varying  conditions  of  the  training  whether  at  school 
or  at  home. 

TWO   TO   THREE   PIOURS'    CONSECUTIVE  PROGRAM 

For  one  child  or  a  class. 

ist  Period    Social  Training      id  to  15  minutes 

(Information  may  be  included  here) 

2nd  Period  Habit  Drills  i  5  to  20  minutes 

^rd  Period  Story  Telling  15  to  20  minutes 

4th  Period  Physical  Training  15  to  20  minutes 
^th  Period  Rhythmic  Arts  15  to  20  minutes 
6th  Period  Free  Play  20  to  40  minutes 

yth  Period  Manual  Training  20  to  30  minutes 
Sth  Period  Information  10  to  15  minutes 

(May  be  included  in  ist  Period  J 

consecutive  and  scattered  program 

For  one  child  or  children  in  same  family. 

1st  Period    Habit  Drills  15  to  20  minutes 

2nd  Period  Manual  Training  20  to  30  minutes 

XXXV 


Programs 

3rc?  Period  Physical  Training  15  to  20  minutes 
4th  Period  Rhythmic  Arts  15  to  20  minutes 
^th  Period   Information  10  to  15  minutes 

At  Table  and  Play       Social  Training 
At  Bed  Time  Story  Telling 

All  the  Time  Habit  Drills 

Betzueen  Times  Free  Play 

scattered  program 

For  one  child  only  —  or  children  in  same  family. 

On  Rising 


At  Breakfast 

During  Morning 
At  Luncheon 

During  Afternoon 

At  Supper 
After  Supper 
Between  Times 
All  the  Time 


Physical  Training 
Social  Training 
Habit  Drills 
Information 
Social  Training 
Manual  Training 

Rhythmic  Arts 

Social  Training 

Story  Telling 

Free  Play  and  Habit  Drills 

Habit  Drills 
xxxvi 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

INTRODUCTION ix 

GENERAL  INSTRUCTIONS xvii 

CONDITIONS  FOR  TRAINING xvii 

THE  COURSE  OF  TRAINING xviii 

ROUTINE   OF  TRAINING xx 

METHOD    OF    TRAINING xxi 

MORAL  TRAINING xxii 

PUNISHMENTS xxv 

REWARDS XXX 

SPEED XXX 

CONCENTRATION xxxii 

PROGRAMS XXXV 

PART  I.    HABIT  DRILLS .      3 

NATURE  OF  HABITS 3 

FORMING   OF   HABITS j 

BREAKING  OF  HABITS 10 

PURPOSE  AND  METHOD  OF  HABIT  DRILLS     ....  12 

OBEDIENCE  DRILLS I^ 

ORDER  AND  NEATNESS  DRILLS .  32 

OBSERVATION  DRILLS 3c 

IMITATION  DRILLS 53 

ASSOCIATION  DRILLS 65 

IMAGINATION  DRILLS 70 

ATTENTION  AND  CONCENTRATION  DRILLS     •     ■     •     -  T2, 

81 


FURTHER  HABIT  DRILLS 

PART  IL    SOCIAL  TRAINING 


85 

COMMON  COURTESIES 88 

CONVERSATION go 

SPEECH ••••••..   xoo 

xxxvii 


Contents 

PAGE 

PART  III.    STORY  TELLING 107 

KIND   OF   STORIES 107 

METHOD  OF  TELLING 1 10 

LIST  OF  STORIES  AND  STORY  BOOKS Ill 

PART  IV.    PHYSICAL  TRAINING 119 

HEALTH  REQUISITES II9 

TABLE    OF    GROWTH 123 

EXERCISES 123 

PART  V.    RHYTHMIC  ARTS 141 

RIMES 141 

SONGS 160 

SINGING  GAMES 162 

FOLK  DANCES 163 

WORDS    AND    MUSIC    OF    SONGS 165 

PART  VL    FREE  PLAY 171 

PLAYS,   ATHLETIC 174 

PLAYS,  MANUAL 176 

PLAYS,  IMITATIVE 177 

GAMES,    WITHOUT    APPARATUS 179 

GAMES,  WITH  APPARATUS 181 

PART    VII.    MANUAL    TRAINING    AND    OCCUPA- 
TIONS    185 

AIMS 185 

LEFT  HANDEDNESS •      •      •    187 

MANUAL  TRAINING 

CLAY    WORK 190 

COLOR  WORK 193 

DRAWING 198 

PAPER   FOLDING  AND   CUTTING 201 

STRING  WORK 209 

WORK  FOR  SPECIAL  SEASONS 212 

THANKSGIVING 212 

CHRISTMAS 213 

ST.    VALENTINE'S    DAY 215 

WASHINGTON'S  BIRTHDAY 2l6 

xxxviii 


Contents 

OCCUPATIONS  p^GE 

INDOORS 219 

OUTDOORS 220 

PART  VIII.    INFORMATION 223 

METHOD  OF  INSTRUCTION 224 

SAMPLE  LESSON 226 

INDEPENDENT  RECITATION 228 

QUIZ    QUESTIONS 229 

SYLLABUS  OF  INFORMATION  LESSONS  230 
READING  AND  WRITING 268 

DIRECTIONS 271 

BASAL  SENTENCES 278 

INDEX     ....    c    .    o    ..    c    ...    o    o    o    ...  291 


3CXX1X 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

"  Untangling   a    Snarl  " Frontispiece 

"  Dropping   Medicine  " 2 

"  Introducing " 84 

"  Tlie  Story  on  a  '  Willow  '  Plate  " 106 

"Down,  Up" 118 

"  Folk  Dancing  " 140 

"  Playing  Tenpins  " 170 

"  Paper  Lantern  and  Pinwheel " 184 

"  Learning  to  Tell  Time  " 222 


CHILD  TRAINING 


rbotograpti  by  Bachrach 


HABIT  DRILL 
"Dropping  Medicine" — Training  in  concentration,  attention,  muscular  control,   etc. 


CHILD  TRAINING 

PART  I 
HABIT  DRILLS 

NATURE   OF    HABITS 

The  baby  feeding  himself  for  the  first  time  car- 
ries his  spoon  with  rapt  attention,  but  nevertheless  by 
a  wobbly,  uncertain  and  sloppy  course  from  his  bowl 
to  his  mouth,  spilling  the  contents  impartially  between 
bib,  chin  and  lips.  Great  have  been  the  problems  of 
balance,  poise,  muscular  coordination  and  the  calcu- 
lation of  distance  and  direction  to  bring  about  this 
tortuous  journey  from  bowl  to  mouth  without  a  total 
wreck.  After  an  indefinite  number  of  repetitions, 
however,  the  habit  is  formed  and  the  route  is  trav- 
ersed with  ease,  simplicity  and  perfect  safety  without 
the  slightest  attention. 

Anything  that  has  been  done  once  is  more  easily 
done  a  second  time.  After  it  has  been  done  a  dozen 
times  it  is  still  easier.  After  it  has  been  done  a  hun- 
dred times  it  is  called  "  natural,"  and  is  done  without 
conscious  thought  or  attention,  slipped  into  without 
thinking  —  it  has  become  a  habit. 

3 


Child  Training 

A  habit  is  a  rut  made  by  going  over  the  same  course 
repeatedly,  a  rut  into  which  the  same  act  will  fall 
ever  afterwards.  It  is  a  channel  dug  out  in  the  brain 
by  the  flow  of  the  mental  stream,  a  conduit  bored  by 
the  current  of  thought. 

A  marble  on  a  bagatelle  board,  or  a  ball  on  a  bil- 
liard table  may  take  an  infinite  number  of  courses, 
for  there  are  no  grooves  to  determine  the  route,  but 
the  brain  is  in  effect  crossed  and  criss-crossed  by 
grooves  which  hold  a  thought  to  a  certain  course,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  marble  in  some  puzzles,  even  though 
we  make  a  determined  effort  to  shake  it  into  another 
channel. 

A  nail  once  driven  home,  if  withdrawn,  can  hardly 
be  re-driven  in  a  different  direction  if  inserted  in  or 
even  near  its  own  hole.  It  will  almost  invariably  slip 
back  into  its  own  first  hole,  no  matter  what  effort  we 
make  to  alter  its  course  and  so  it  is  with  thought  and 
act. 

What  you  do  when  you  forget  yourself  is  a  habit, 
not  what  you  do  when  you  think.  The  story  of  the 
old  soldier  who  dropped  his  bundles  in  the  street  and 
brought  his  hands  promptly  to  his  side  when  sharply 
called  to  "  Attention !  "  illustrates  this  truth. 

In  time  of  stress  or  trial  "  company  manners  "  as- 
sumed for  a  special  occasion,  invariably  vanish  —  for- 
gotten in  the  bewildering  strangeness  or  paralyzed  by 
excitement.     If  you  tell  a  child  how  to  act  just  be- 

4 


Habit  Drills 

fore  he  goes  to  a  "  party  "  you  may  be  pretty  sure 
he  will  get  his  instructions  all  wrong,  or  not  heed 
them  at  all.  Practise  him  once  or  twice  and  he  will 
make  a  muddle  of  them,  but  habituate  him  to  them 
and  he  will  act  as  he  has  been  trained  even  when  he 
forgets  himself. 

We  come  into  this  world  without  habits,  we  acquire 
them  as  we  acquire  weight  and  stature,  there  is  no 
option.  The  habits  may  be  good  or  they  may  be  bad 
but  there  must  be  habits  and  there  will  be  habits  — 
there  is  no  escape.  Our  daily  life  is  almost  entirely 
controlled  by  habits  —  our  method  of  dressing,  eating, 
speaking,  working,  playing,  is  habit,  and  it  is  fortunate 
that  it  is  so,  for  if  conscious  attention,  consideration, 
decision  and  control  had  to  be  given  each  individual 
act  throughout  the  day,  we  should  never  get  dressed 
before  bed  time.  Therefore,  until  the  routine  of  daily 
life  is  reduced  to  proper  habits  it  is  a  waste  of  time  at- 
tempting anything  else  —  like  attempting  to  play  con- 
certos before  one  is  able  to  play  scales. 

Now  it  is  a  commonplace  in  education  to  say  that 
the  forming  of  character  is  the  chief  aim,  that  it  is  not 
so  much  what  is  learned,  as  the  character  produced, 
but  character  is  nothing  more  than  the  sum  total  of 
habits  —  good  or  bad.  In  speaking  of  good  and  bad 
habits,  we  are  apt  to  think  of  the  morally  good  or 
bad,  of  the  grosser  habits,  but  this  is  a  very  small 
part  of  the  matter.     Good  and  bad  habits  mean  those 

5 


Child  Training 

that  are  good  or  bad  for  one  physically  and  mentally, 
as  well  as  morally  and  either  in  the  present  or  future. 

Good  habits  are  among  the  best  things  in  the  world, 
bad  habits  among  the  worst  and  yet  though  the  im- 
portance of  good  habits  is  universally  recognized, 
though  the  language  is  full  of  sentiments,  quotations 
and  proverbs  attesting  their  value,  habit  forming  is 
still  left  almost  entirely  to  chance  or  environment. 
It  is  casual  or  incidental,  not,  as  it  should  be.  the  seri- 
ously absorbing  business  of  elementary  education. 

Chance  may  make  the  habits  good  but  chance  may 
just  as  well  make  them  bad.  If  left  to  chance  alone, 
according  to  the  laws  of  chance  the  good  and  the  bad 
are  in  the  long  run  about  equally  divided.  Education's 
business,  therefore,  is  to  make  as  large  a  part  of  the 
habits  as  it  can  good, —  good  in  the  sense  of  useful 
to  the  individual  and  society  —  the  habit  of  dress- 
ing quickly  and  carefully  instead  of  slowly  and  in  a 
slovenly  way;  of  eating  properly  the  right  things  in- 
stead of  wrongly  the  wrong  things;  of  speaking  cor- 
rectly and  pleasingly,  instead  of  incorrectly;  of  work- 
ing skilfully,  efficiently  and  industriously  instead  of 
slip-shodly  and  lazily;  of  playing  hard,  well  and 
fairly  instead  of  lackadaisically,  poorly  and  in  bad 
spirit;  of  thinking  logically  and  justly  instead  of 
whimsically  and  prejudicially  —  of  acting  in  a  thou- 
sand right  ways  instead  of  the  many  thousand  wrong. 


Habit  Drills 

FORMING   OF   HABITS 

Good  habits  are  sometimes  supposed  to  be  merely 
the  resuh  of  proper  atmosphere,  proper  models,  and 
other  subtle  forces;  bad  habits  of  bad  atmosphere  and 
improper  models,  but  this  is  only  partly  true. 

Habits  are  formed  by  repetition  and  in  no  other 
zcay  than  by  repetition.  Whatever  you  do  in  a  cer- 
tain way  repeatedly  you  will  continue  to  do  in  this 
way.  If  you  want  to  form  the  habit  of  playing  the 
scales  on  the  piano  in  a  certain  way,  you  do  so  by 
multitudinous  repetitions  till  you  "  get  the  habit  "of 
using  certain  fingers  in  a  certain  sequence  without 
conscious  thought  or  hesitation,  once  the  start  is 
made.  If  you  want  to  train  a  child  to  pick  up  scraps 
of  paper  from  the  floor  whenever  he  sees  them,  put 
paper  on  the  floor  and  have  him  pick  it  up,  put  it 
down  again  and  repeat  the  exercise  exactly  as  if  you 
were  training  a  dog  to  fetch  the  newspaper,  till  the 
habit  is  so  formed  that  the  sight  of  waste  paper  on 
the  floor  starts  the  reflex  action  —  pick  up. 

The  repetition  may  be  involuntary  as  when  one 
acquires  the  habit  of  eating  with  one's  knife,  drinking 
from  one's  saucer,  etc.,  by  unconscious,  repeated  imita- 
tion of  those  about  one,  or  it  may  be  voluntary,  as 
when  one  acquires  the  habit  of  swimming,  running  an 
automobile,  or  sailing  a  boat,  by  voluntarily  practising 
the  movements  repeatedly. 

7 


Child  Training 

The  involuntary  habits  we  can  form  by  making  the 
right  setting  for  the  child.  His  playmates,  nurses, 
and  not  least,  his  parents,  will  be  his  involuntary  copies, 
models  and  habit  formers. 

The  voluntary  habits  we  can  form  only  by  practis- 
ing the  child,  they  cannot  be  formed  by  telling  him. 
If  we  want  the  child  to  get  the  habit  of  closing  the  door 
quietly  it  is  not  enough  to  tell  him  to  close  the  door 
quietly  and  after  he  has  banged  it,  tell  him  again  he 
should  have  closed  it  quietly  and  not  bang  it  the  next 
time.  He  has  the  muscle  memory  of  banging  the  door 
which  the  verbal  memory  will  not  counteract.  He  may 
remember  to  close  the  door  quietly  the  next  time  but 
the  chances  are  he  will  not,  because  it  is  a  question 
not  of  memory  but  of  habit.  Neither  is  it  sufficient  to 
have  him  once  close  the  door  quietly  —  it  merely  bal- 
ances the  one  time  closed  noisily  and  this  leaves  the 
two  quits.  The  proper  course  is  to  make  him  close 
the  door  a  number  of  times  quietly,  both  to  emphasize 
the  muscular  memory  and  to  start  the  formation  of  the 
habit. 

While  forming  a  habit  a  most  important  rule  to  ob- 
serve is  to  allow  no  lapses,  no  exceptions,  until  the 
habit  is  firmly  established,  for  habits  that  are  inculcated 
by  drill  are  secured  only  as  the  result  of  eternal  vigi- 
lance and  never  failing  exaction.  A  single  omission 
will  set  back  the  habit  formation,  make  further  omis- 
sions easier  and  defer  indefinitely  the  time  when  the 

a 


Habit  Drills 

habit  is  to  become  second  nature.  If  the  parent  or 
teacher  neglects  to  notice  the  omission  of  the  act  to 
be  formed  into  a  habit,  the  habit  is  half  undone, —  a 
second  and  third  failure  to  exact  it  and  the  habit  is 
gone  completely.  As  James  aptly  puts  it,  "  Each  lapse 
is  like  the  letting  fall  of  a  ball  of  string  which  one  is 
carefully  winding  up,  a  single  slip  undoes  more  than 
a  great  many  turns  will  wind  again."  The  parent  or 
teacher  must  not  forget  nor  overlook  a  single  omission 
until  the  habit  is  ineradicable.  The  child  must  be 
brought  to  feel  that  the  correction  is  inevitable  and 
cannot  be  avoided  if  the  required  act  is  omitted.  In 
training  a  dog  to  beg  for  food,  if  he  sometimes  gets 
it  without  begging,  all  the  previous  training  is  undone. 
In  training  a  child  to  say  "  please,"  if  sometimes  he 
gets  what  he  asks  for  without  first  saying  "  please,"  the 
training  in  this  form  of  courtesy  is  undone. 

The  child  will  naturally  take  the  easiest  way,  the 
shortest  cut,  and  if  the  habit  we  wish  to  inculcate  re- 
quires his  going  the  long  way  round  we  must  erect  a 
barrier  across  the  short  cut  until  the  habit  of  going 
round  is  formed,  so  that  in  case  he  starts  on  the  pro- 
hibited route,  he  will  invariably  be  forced  to  retrace  his 
steps  and  take  the  right.  After  awhile  he  will  give 
up  trying  the  short  cut,  but  only  if  he  finds  the  gate  al- 
ways closed.  If  occasionally  it  is  left  open,  he  will 
take  his  chance  in  the  hope  of  getting  through. 

"  Nagging "    results    from    starting   the    corrective 

9 


Child  Training 

process  after  a  contrary  habit  is  already  formed,  or  is 
due  to  making  the  corrections  intermittently,  or  to 
omitting  the  necessary  preliminary  practice  and  repeti- 
tions. 

The  forming  of  good  habits  in  children  is  therefore 
one  of  the  most  difficult  tasks  in  the  world  for  the 
teacher  or  parent,  but  worth  all  and  more  effort  than 
is  expended,  for  the  comfort,  satisfaction  and  livable- 
ness  that  the  child  of  such  training  brings  to  the  house- 
hold, school,  playmates  and  all  others  associated  or 
brought  into  contact  with  him,  as  well  as  for  his  own 
popularity,  friendliness,  success  and  happiness,  both 
at  the  present  and  in  the  future. 

In  forming  a  habit,  therefore,  force  the  child  to  take 
the  right  path  and  go  over  the  same  ground  repeatedly 
till  the  habit  becomes  familiar,  easy  and  natural,  and 
never  for  an  instant  leave  the  gate  to  the  wrong  path 
open  —  till  the  habit  is  fixed. 


BREAKING    OF    HABITS 

But  not  only  has  the  parent  or  teacher  the  task  of 
forming  good  habits,  bad  habits  which  have  already 
been  acquired  must  be  broken  up. 

If  the  nature  of  habits  and  their  formation  is  under- 
stood from  what  precedes,  the  method  of  undoing 
habits  is  obvious :  Never  once  allow  the  child  to  do 
the  habitual  act  after  the  "  breaking  "  has  begun  for  ex- 

10 


Habit  Drills 

ceptions  as  in  the  case  of  habit  forming  nullify  the 
effect. 

If  the  child  has  already  acquired  the  habit  of  eating 
between  meals,  he  should  not  be  cut  down  to  few  vio- 
lations —  none  at  all  should  be  allowed.  In  other 
words  bad  habits  should  be  pulled  out  like  a  tooth  or 
a  splinter  with  a  single  wrench  not  by  degrees. 

But  even  though  the  habits  are  otherwise  good, 
as  Radestock  and  others  have  pointed  out,  there 
is  some  danger  in  extreme  habituation  —  in  getting 
into  a  rut  from  which  one  cannot  get  out.  If  a  per- 
son requires  the  identical  stimulus  for  the  identical  re- 
action, or  if  he  is  unable  to  do  differently  should  the 
occasion  demand  it,  he  is  inconvenienced  if  not  ren- 
dered helpless  when  the  habitual  train  of  action  is 
broken. 

There  is  also  a  further  drawback  in  extreme  habit- 
uation—  the  finish  and  nicety  of  execution  tend  to 
become  slurred.  Joseph  Jefferson  used  to  say  that 
acting  Rip  Van  Winkle  had,  by  multitudinous  repeti- 
tions, become  such  a  habit  that  he  could  go  through 
the  whole  play  without  once  thinking  of  what  he  was 
saying  or  doing.  He  had  constantly,  therefore,  to 
force  himself  to  keep  his  mind  on  every  line,  every 
gesture,  every  action,  to  prevent  them  becoming  me- 
chanical, expressionless  and  monotonous,  from  the 
very  fact  of  extreme  habituation. 

In  children,  however,  these  dangers  are  practically 

II 


Child  Training 

negligible,  and  in  the  case  of  the  habits  inculcated  in 
this  course  they  can  hardly  be  too  deeply  or  too  per- 
manently ingrained  —  and  no  fear  may  be  felt  that 
habituation  will  become  so  extreme  as  to  work  harm. 
Nevertheless  practice  should  be  given  in  acting  con- 
trary to  custom  and  habitude,  so  that  the  child  may  not 
be  upset  by  changed  conditions  and  therefore  sugges- 
tions are  given  for  this  under  "  Further  Habit  Drills." 

PURPOSE  AND   METHOD   OF   HABIT  DRILLS 

The  general  purpose  of  the  following  period,  there- 
fore, is  to  give  specific  drills  that  will  start  the  forma- 
tion of  habits  of  obedience,  observation,  attention, 
concentration,  and  so  on. 

To  form  the  habit  of  obedience  we  practise  the 
child  in  obeying,  in  carrying  out  orders,  in  executing 
commands,  in  doing  what  he  is  told.  To  form  the 
habit  of  observation,  we  drill  him  in  observing  with 
the  different  senses  —  hearing,  seeing,  feeling.  To 
form  the  habit  of  attention  and  concentration  we  prac- 
tise him  in  attending  and  concentrating  till  he  is  able 
to  attend  and  concentrate  for  longer  and  longer 
periods.  A  lesson  plans  work  for,  approximately,  one 
period,  but  it  should  be  repeated  and  repeated  until  the 
lesson  to  be  learned  is  learned  or  the  habit  to  be  fixed 
is  fixed,  and  should  be  recurred  to  from  time  to  time, 
to  make  sure  that  it  is  so.  From  what  has  been  said 
of  the  nature  of  habit  it  will  readily  be  seen,  however, 

12 


Habit  Drills 

that  it  is  not  sufficient  to  practise,  insist  and  adhere 
strictly  to  certain  drills  at  stated  periods  set  down  in 
the  program  —  this  is  only  the  start  in  the  right  direc- 
tion —  but  at  any  time  or  hour  or  period  or  season  the 
same  habit  must  be  insisted  upon  whenever  and  how- 
ever the  occasion  for  it  arises. 


13 


OBEDIENCE  DRILLS 

Obedience  —  the  ability  and  willingness  to  carry  out 
directions  exactly  and  promptly  —  is  the  first  requisite 
for  the  proper  instruction  of  a  child  and  is,  therefore, 
the  first  habit  to  be  inculcated. 

The  value  of  obedience  as  a  school  art,  aside  from 
its  ethical  importance,  is  almost  inestimable.  Much 
of  the  delay,  preparation,  explanation  and  instruction 
of  raw  recruits  in  the  first  year  of  school  and,  indeed, 
throughout  the  grades,  might  be  avoided  and  time 
saved  if  children  were  systematically  trained  in  carry- 
ing out  orders. 

Obedience  includes  not  only  moral  obedience  —  the 
willingness  to  obey  the  laws  of  God  and  man  and  the 
commands  and  directions  of  those  in  authority  —  but 
also  the  ability  to  do  so.  The  child  may  be  perfectly 
obedient  in  spirit,  but  lacking  in  training  and  unable  to 
execute  the  commands.  The  great  majority  of  child- 
ish disobedience  is  not  wilful,  not  intentional,  but 
simply  lack  of  association  of  the  order  with  the  idea 
of  its  execution,  or  inertia  in  setting  up  the  association. 

Watch  green  children  ordered  by  a  strange  person, 
for  instance  the  teacher,  the  first  few  days  of  school : 
"Stand,"   "Sit,"   "Look   at   me."     The   child   looks 

14 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

around  vaguely,  and  even  if  the  perfectly  simple  com- 
mand be  given  in  stentorian  tones,  he  may  seem  be- 
wildered and  make  no  move  to  obey.  The  child 
knows  what  is  meant  to  "  Stand,"  "  Sit,"  and  "  Look 
at  me  "  and  does  not  oppose  any  resistance  nor  intend 
voluntary  disobedience,  but  he  does  not  associate  the 
command  to  "  Stand,"  "  Sit,"  "  Look  this  way,"  with 
his  own  standing,  sitting,  looking  this  way.  The  sen- 
tence is  for  him  grammatically  declarative  and  not  im- 
perative—  a  simple  statement,  not  an  order.  The 
child  may  even  have  to  be  stood  up,  and  then  sat  down, 
etc.,  simultaneously  with  the  order  till  he  associates 
the  command  with  its  execution,  in  exactly  the  same 
way  that  we  teach  a  dog  to  "  lie  down  "  by  putting  him 
in  that  position  when  we  give  the  order.  When  oth- 
ers are  present  who  do  associate  the  command  with  the 
order,  he  learns  from  imitation  of  them  what  is  ex- 
pected, and  if  his  name  precedes  the  command  as, 
"  John,  stand,"  or  "  You  stand,"  he  may  learn  more 
quickly. 

On  the  other  hand  he  may  be  perfectly  able  to  exe- 
cute the  order,  but  laziness,  selfishness,  perversity  or 
indisposition  make  him  unwilling  to  do  so. 

Both  willingness  and  ability  may  be  made  a  habit  as 
the  result  of  specific  training.  Indeed,  if  the  habit  is 
started  early  enough  and  firmly  established,  willingness 
does  not  enter  into  the  problem.  If  the  child  has  al- 
ways obeyed  and  has  never  been  allowed  any  other 

15 


Child  Training 

course,  the  habit  of  obeying  will  be  so  strong,  so  com- 
pelling, that  unwillingness  to  obey  on  any  special  oc- 
casion will  have  no  effect,  the  direction  will  be  obeyed 
without  question  or  parley,  as  a  matter  of  course,  no 
matter  what  the  personal  feelings  may  be  —  so  much 
stronger  is  the  force  of  habit  than  any  other  tempo- 
rary or  occasional  force. 

The  business  of  the  first  importance  is,  therefore,  to 
fix  the  habit  by  constantly  and  insistently  demanding 
the  prompt  execution  of  every  order  without  any  ex- 
ceptions whatsoever,  exceptions  being  fatal  to  the  for- 
mation of  habits.  Such  excuses  or  postponements  of 
obedience  as :  "  Can't  B  do  it,  I  'm  doing  so  and  so  ?  " 
or,  "  In  just  a  minute,  when  I  finish  this,"  even  though 
the  temporizing  is  reasonable,  are  destructive  to  habit 
forming  and  should,  therefore,  for  this  reason  alone, 
not  be  tolerated. 

I.  Simple  Orders 
Imitation,  Terms  of  Direction 

Say  to  the  children,  "  I  want  to  see  if  you  can  do 
what  I  tell  you,  instantly,  when  I  tell  you  and  just  the 
way  I  tell  you."     Then  give  the  order: 

"  Stand  up." 

Some  may  obey  promptly,  some  may  obey  more 
slowly,  some  may  hesitate,  look  around  to  see  what  the 
others  are  going  to  do  and  finally  but  tardily,  rise. 
Some  may  pay  no  attention  to  the  order  at  all,  but  look 

i6 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

blankly  around  or  attentively  at  something  else  ex- 
actly as  if  they  had  been  excepted  in  the  command. 

If  there  is  much  irregularity  in  obeying  correctly 
and  at  once,  it  may  be  necessary  to  say,  "  All  children 
stand  up,"  or  "  All  of  you  stand  up,"  and  this  may  have 
to  be  supplemented  by  the  explanation,  "  When  I  say, 
'  Stand  up,'  I  mean  you,  John  and  Mary,  as  well  as  the 
others."     Then  give  the  order: 

"  Sit  down." 

Repeat  these  orders,  "  Stand  up,"  "  Sit  down,"  half 
a  dozen  or  more  times  until  all  the  children  understand 
what  is  wanted  and  obey  promptly,  quietly  and  without 
hesitating  or  lagging.  This  drill  is  not,  of  course,  for 
the  purpose  of  teaching  the  child  the  meaning  of 
"  stand  up  "  and  "  sit  down,"  but  to  form  in  him  the 
habit  of  executing  promptly  orders  that  are  under- 
stood. A  child  knows  what  it  means  to  "  stop  making 
a  noise  "  or  to  "  come  "  when  called,  but  unless  he  has 
been  drilled  in  obedience  he  does  not  always  obey,  or 
obey  instantly,  or  obey  graciously,  and  this  is  the 
obedience  these  exercises  are  intended  to  inculcate  and 
will  inculcate  if  strictly  drilled  in.  From  such  simple 
and  small  beginnings  may  be  built  up  and  formed  most 
complex  and  useful  habits.  Then  give  the  selectiv'^ 
orders : 

"  Boys,  stand  up." 

"  Girls,  stand  up." 

"  Girls,  sit  down,"  etc. 

17 


Child  Training 

Have  them  first  imitate  you,  while  you  execute  the 
above  order,  as  directed.  This  is  training  by  imita- 
tion. Then  have  them  carry  out  the  order  from  the 
command  alone.  Give  the  order  but  do  not  execute  it 
yourself,  or  better  still,  tell  them  to  close  their  eyes 
and  keep  them  closed  while  you  give  the  order  and  they 
obey.  This  is  to  prevent  imitation  of  others  in  the 
class.  They  are  not  trained  until  they  can  obey 
promptly  without  seeing  either  the  teacher  or  another 
child  whom  they  can  imitate.     Then  give  the  order: 

"  Raise  your  right  hands,"  raising  your  own  at  the 
same  time,  to  show  which  is  right.  If  facing  them, 
raise  your  own  left  hand  as  you  say  to  them,  "  Raise 
your  right,"  as  in  imitating  you  they  will  raise  the 
hand  that  is  on  the  same  side  with  your  own.  Ask 
them  in  the  same  way  to  raise  the  left,  imitating  your 
own  motion.  Note  those  that  hesitate,  make  a  false 
start  or  raise  the  wrong  hand  and  practise  these  alone 
on  raising  right  and  left  as  directed.  Repeat  this  drill, 
having  them  close  their  eyes  while  doing  so.  Then 
give  the  children  other  orders  of  direction,  such  as : 

"  Look  up,  down." 

"  Face  right  side,  left  side." 

"  Place  your  hands  on  top  of  your  head,  under  your 
chair,  behind  your  back." 

"  Stand  up,  stand  on  right  foot,  on  left  foot." 

"  Turn  round  to  the  right,  to  the  left,  sit  down." 

"  Kneel  on  right  knee,  on  left  knee,  on  both  knees." 

i8 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

"  Clap  your  hands  once,  twice,  three  times." 
First,  practise  the  children  as  a  class,  having  them 
imitate  you.  Second,  give  the  command  and  have 
them  execute  it  with  closed  eyes.  Afterwards,  prac- 
tise them  individually,  devoting  the  drill  to  those  who 
are  unfamiliar  with  the  terms  used  or  slow  to  carry 
them  out. 

2.  Non-Repeated,  Quiet  Orders 

Obedience,  Attention 

Obedience  that  cannot  be  secured  without  many 
repetitions,  loud  tones,  even  a  threatening  manner  is  of 
little  value.  Give  the  orders  in  Drill  i,  in  a  very  quiet 
tone  and  rather  a  casual  manner.  Put  those  not  obey- 
ing to  one  side,  till  they  promise  to  attend. 

Such  practice  in  having  soft  quiet  orders  promptly 
obeyed,  orders  that  can  just  be  heard  or  that  are  given 
casually  while  talking  or  attending  to  something  else 
is  most  important.  The  child  becomes  accustomed  to 
pay  keen  attention  to  sound  in  the  same  way  that  a 
nurse  is  trained  to  awake  at  the  slightest  movement  of 
her  patient.  Orders  given  when  a  child  is  at  play 
(which  at  any  other  time  would  not  be  unagreeable)  or 
when  they  come  as  an  interruption  to  what  the  child 
is  doing,  are  rarely  obeyed,  unless  the  child  has  been 
practised  and  usually  punished.  But  it  is  perfectly 
possible  and  a  delightful,  though  a  rare,  experience  for 
a  child  romping,  or  busily  engaged  with  toys  or  ab- 

19 


Child  Training 

sorbed  in  some  occupation,  to  respond  instantly  with- 
out a  moment's  hesitation  to  a  parental  call. 

Repeat  the  foregoing  quiet  order  drills  until  orders 
are  executed  with  promptness  and  decision. 

3.  Simple  Orders 

Obedience,  Precision 

Prepare  a  list  of  simple  but  varied  commands,  such 
as: 

"  John,  shut  the  door." 

"  Mary,  bring  me  that  book." 

"  Give  this  book  to  John." 

"  Get  me  a  glass  of  water." 

"  Close  the  window." 

"  Put  your  chair   by  me,"   and   so   on. 

Give  the  first  direction  to  a  child  and  await  its  pre- 
cise fulfilment,  asking  the  class  if  the  child  has  fol- 
lowed the  direction  in  every  particular,  or  if  he  has 
failed,  and  in  what  respect  he  has  failed.  The  child 
executing  the  order  should  ask  no  questions  and  if 
there  is  a  choice  of  possibilities  within  the  spirit  of 
the  order,  either  should  be  judged  correct. 

With  the  first  orders  there  should  be  no  chance  for 
misunderstanding  or  for  an  alternative  but  later  there 
should  be,  and  the  success  of  the  child  adjudged  ac- 
cording to  the  reasonableness  of  his  interpretation. 
Thus,  when  the  order  is,  "  Close  the  window,"  if  there 
is  more  than  one  window  open,  and  the  exact  one  is 

20 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

not  specified,  he  should  determine  which  is  the  one 
probably  intended  —  the  one  possibly  through  which 
the  wind  or  rain  is  coming. 

Each  time  an  order  is  executed  the  children  should 
be  called  upon  to  suggest  an  improvement  —  for  ex- 
ample :  "  John  banged  the  door ;  "  "  He  did  n't  shut 
it  quietly;"  "He  made  too  much  noise  in  going  to 
the  door;"  "He  asked  which  door;"  or  "He  hesi- 
tated, took  too  long,"  and  so  on. 

When  each  has  had  his  turn,  then  the  teacher  should 
give  each  another  turn  at  a  different  order,  but  not  too 
often  on  this  occasion  to  fatigue  or  bore  the  children. 
For  fear  of  this,  it  is  best  not  to  take  up  a  single  order 
at  a  time  and  have  each  child,  in  turn,  execute  it,  for 
even  though  each  would  undoubtedly  improve  on  the 
preceding,  the  exercise  would  become  very  monotonous 
even  before  the  order  had  been  around  the  class  once. 

4.  Simple  Deferred  Orders 
Obedience,  Attention,  Memory 

Prepare  a  list  of  orders  as  in  the  preceding  drill  and 
tell  the  children  you  will  give  each  one  an  order,  but 
it  is  not  to  be  executed  till  you  give  the  word.  Then 
read  the  list  of  orders,  putting  a  name  of  a  child  before 
each  order,  and  when  you  have  finished  say, 

"  Now,  do  what  I  have  told  you." 


21 


Child  Training 

5.  Negative  Orders  or  Prohibitions 

Obedience,  Memory,  Attention,  Self-control 

The  burden  of  much  of  the  instructions  to  teachers 
and  parents  is,  "  Don't  say  don't."  Of  course  it  is 
usually  better  to  say  "  Do,"  for  "  Don't "  is  apt  "  to 
put  ideas  into  their  heads;  "  ideas  that  were  not  there 
before ;  e.g.,  the  classic  example  of  the  mother  who  left 
her  children  with  the  parting  injunction,  "  Don't  put 
beans  up  your  noses."  It  is  a  psychological  law  that 
all  ideas  are  potential  acts.  We  unconsciously  tend 
to  carry  out  any  idea  in  our  mind  whether  it  has  "  Do  " 
or  "  Don't  "  attached  and  the  don't  oftentimes  only 
serves  to  emphasize  its  prominence  as  an  idea  and 
hence  renders  it  more  compelling,  more  likely  to  be 
acted  upon,  than  if  nothing  were  said  about  it  at  all. 

But  inhibition  —  which  is  the  suppression  of  such 
ideas  —  is  an  important  habit  to  be  cultivated  and 
though  it  is  perfectly  true  that  the  unfamiliar,  the  un- 
likely to  happen  is,  as  a  rule  best  left  unmentioned; 
nevertheless  for  purposes  of  discipline,  practice  in  obey- 
ing negative  commands  is  highly  important,  as  most 
laws  and  rules  from  the  Decalogue  down,  are  prohibi- 
tions — "  Thou  shalt  not." 

Face  the  children  away  from  you  and  tell  them  3'OU 
are  going  to  practise  them  in  obeying  the  order, 

"  Don't  look."  Tell  them  that  when  you  have  given 
the  order,  they  are  not  to  look  round,  under  any  cir- 

22 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

cumstances,  no  matter  even  if  a  contradictory  order  is 
given,  until  you  call  "  Time."  Then  give  the  order 
and  behind  their  backs  try  different  devices  to  entice 
them  into  looking.  Tell  a  story  and  pretend  to  illus- 
trate it,  saying  for  instance,  "  Jack  and  Jill  went  up  a 
hill,  like  this  "  (stamp  about  or  make  audible  gestures) 
"  to  fetch  a  pail  of  water,  like  this  "  (make  chalk 
marks  on  the  blackboard,  as  if  drawing).  "Jack 
came  down,  like  this  "  (turn  over  a  chair)  "  and  broke 
his  crown,  like  this"  (drop  a  book  or  something 
heavy),  and  so  on.  Suddenly  speak  into  the  ear  of 
one  saying,  "  look  here,"  tap  another  on  the  shoulder 
excitedly  and  so  on. 

6.  Double  Orders 
Obedience,  Attention,  Memory 

Make  a  list  as  in  drill  3,  but  with  two  orders  for 
each  child,  thus :  "  John,  hand  me  that  book,  and  put 
this  on  the  table."     Use  in  the  same  way  as  in  drill  3. 

7.  Double  Deferred  Orders 
Obedience,  Attention,  Memory 

Use  the  list  of  double  orders  made  in  lesson  6,  but 
have  them  carried  out  as  in  lesson  4  —  that  is,  read 
all  the  orders  before  having  any  of  them  executed. 


23 


Child  Training 

8.  Prohibitions 
Obedience,  Self-control 

Tell  the  children  you  are  going  to  practise  them  still 
lurther  in  obeying  "  Don'ts."     Then,  give  the  order: 

"  Don't  make  any  sound  until  I  call  '  Time.'  " 

Allow  them  to  move  their  heads,  arms,  feet ;  even 
to  move  about,  though  this  privilege  should  be  for- 
feited by  any  one  failing  in  the  slightest  degree  to 
observe  the  command.  Watch  and  listen  for  the 
faintest  sound  and  have  them  do  the  same,  but  only 
the  teacher  must  call  attention  to  any  voluntary  or  in- 
voluntary breaking  of  silence.  At  the  end  of  five  min- 
utes call  "  Time."  Discuss  with  the  children  what 
they  could  do  to  observe  the  command  better  or  more 
easily  and  repeat  the  exercise. 

Then  tell  them  to  get  into  a  comfortable  position, 
one  that  they  can  maintain  indefinitely,  as  they  are  to 
remain  not  only  silent  but  motionless.  Ask  them  to 
pretend  that  they  are  to  have  their  pictures  taken,  that 
the  slightest  motion,  shifting  of  position  or  twitching 
—  breathing  and  blinking  of  the  eyes  excepted  —  will 
spoil  the  picture,  and  say, 

"  Now  don't  move,  till  I  call  '  Time.'  "  (The  illus- 
trations in  this  book  were  made  of  children  drilled  in 
this  way.) 

Call  "  Time  "  at  the  end  of  two  minutes,  as  this  is 
a    very    severe    ordeal.     Further    practice,    however, 

24 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

should  make  them  able  to  hold  this  position  for  five 
minutes,  or  longer. 

9.  Prohibitions 
Obedience,  Self-control 

Tell  the  children  you  are  going  to  command  "  Don't 
talk,"  and  then  are  going  to  try  to  surprise  them  into 
talking  or  asking  a  question,  but  they  must  say  nothing 
under  any  circumstances.  Tell  them  they  are  sup- 
posed to  be  mutes,  without  the  power  of  speech  —  as 
dumb  as  the  animals. 

Then  give  the  command,  "  Don't  talk,"  but  continue 
to  talk  yourself,  telling  either  a  story  or  something 
about  which  children  would  ordinarily  ask  questions 
and  if  this  does  not  succeed,  abruptly  ask  one  of  the 
children  a  question,  trying  to  take  him  off  his  guard  or 
to  startle  him  into  a  reply. 

10.  Secret  Keeping 

Obedience,  Attention,  Inhibition 

Practise  the  children  in  keeping  a  secret,  first  ex- 
plaining how  careful  they  must  be  not  to  "  give  them- 
selves away,"  that  to  keep  a  secret  they  must  never  tell 
that  they  have  one,  for  in  case  they  do,  there  are  nu- 
merous ways  in  which  it  may  be  extracted  without 
their  directly  telling  it.  If,  however,  it  is  known  that 
they  are  in  possession  of  a  secret,  their  only  safe  reply 
to  every  question  is,  the  usual  attorney's  instruction 

25 


Child  Training 

to  his  client,  "  I  have  nothing  to  say."  To  answer 
"  Yes  "  and  "  No  "  is  disastrous;  for  any  clever  ques- 
tioner by  asking  leading  questions  could,  by  the  process 
of  elimination,  eventually  obtain  the  secret. 

Ask  one  child  to  tell  another  a  secret,  then  put  the 
latter  on  the  grill,  cross-questioning,  cajoling,  daring 
him,  in  the  ways  usually  employed  to  extract  a  secret, 
thus : 

"  Will  you  give  me  three  guesses?" 

"Is  it  this,  is  it  that?" 

"  I  know  what  it  is,  it  is ." 

"  I  don't  believe  you  have  a  secret." 

"  I  dare  you  to  tell." 

"  You  are  afraid  to  tell." 

"If  you  tell  me,  I  '11  tell  you  something." 

To  which  the  invariable  reply,  if  any,  should  be, 

"  I  have  nothing  to  say." 

This  may  be  followed  by  the  Deaf-and-Dumb  Game. 
In  this  the  children  pretend  that  they  can  neither  hear 
nor  talk  and  try  to  act  accordingly,  though  the  teacher 
tries  her  best  to  trip  them  up  and  to  surprise  them  into 
betraying  they  are  not  so. 

For  instance,  she  might  say: 

"  Look  at  me."  The  children  shall  of  course  not 
hear  and  therefore  not  look. 

"■All  of  you,"  This  is  an  extra  jar  to  surprise  the 
unwary. 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  tell  you  a  story  ?  " 

26 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 
II.  Judgment  Orders 

Obedience,   Observation,  Judgment 

Prepare  a  list  of  orders  in  the  fulfilling  of  each  of 
which  something  is  left  to  the  judgment  of  the  child, 
by  the  omission  of  either  the  location,  the  method  or 
something  of  the  sort.     Thus  : 

"John,  please  close  the  window,"  (when  there  are 
several  open).  He  must  not  ask  which  one,  but  judge 
from  conditions  or  the  reason  prompting  the  order, 
which  is  the  one  probably  meant. 

"  Mary,  please  bring  me  a  pencil."  She  must  not 
ask,  "  Where  shall  I  find  one?  "  or  "  Where  can  I  get 
it?"  but  judge  from  previous  experience  or  likelihood 
where  to  go  for  it. 

"  Harry,  please  get  me  my  coat."  He  must  not 
ask  where  it  is,  but  go  and  look  for  it  in  the  most 
probable  place  and  keep  up  his  search  till  he  is  suc- 
cessful. 

12.  Carrying  Messages 

Obedience,  Memory 

Prepare  a  list  of  fetching  orders  involving  finding 
a  person  and  giving  a  message,  which  the  child  may 
not  necessarily  understand  —  such  orders  as  — 

"  Go  to and  get  a  book  called ." 

"  Go  to  the  janitor  and  get  a  hammer,  screw  driver, 
ten  nails  and  five  screws." 

27 


Child  Training 

"  Go  to and  get  three  envelopes  and  two  sheets 

of  letter  paper." 

"  Go  to and  get  a  piece  of  string  about  a  yard 

long  and  half  a  dozen  pins." 

The  child  should  always  be  made  to  repeat  the 
message  to  be  sure  he  has  it  right  before  starting  on 
his  mission. 

13.  Time  Orders 
Obedience,  Memory 

Prepare  and  give  out  a  list  of  orders  to  be  executed 
some  time  after  the  order  is  given,  say  at  12  o'clock. 
The  children  should  be  shown  the  position  of  the  hands 
of  the  clock  at  the  required  hour  and  instructed  to 
execute  the  order  precisely  at  that  time  without  further 
direction.  Either  fetching  or  doing  orders  similar  to 
those  previously  given  are  appropriate. 

The  child  must,  therefore,  remember  both  the  order 
and  the  time  when  it  is  to  be  put  into  effect  and  act 
independently  when  the  proper  time  arrives. 

14.  Prohibitions 
Obedience,  Self-control 

Tell  the  children  you  are  going  to  leave  the  room, 
and  while  you  are  gone  they  must  stay  in  their  seats 
but  may  do  as  they  choose,  as  long  as  they  make  no 
noise  or  sound  audible  to  another  in  the  room.  Leave 
for  five  minutes,  the  first  time  merely  going  out  of 

28 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

5ight  and  not  out  of  hearing.  On  your  return  ask 
how  many  failed  to  observe  the  rule.  Treat  it  as  a 
game  and  failure  merely  as  losing,  not  as  offending. 
Tattling  should  not  be  allowed. 

15.  "Simon  Says  Thumbs  Up" 
Obedience,  Attention,  Concentration 

The  game  of  "  Simon  says  thumbs  up,"  involves 
both  a  command  and  a  prohibition.  Explain  that  when 
the  teacher  or  one  of  their  own  number,  appointed 
to  act  as  leader,  says  simply,  "  Thumbs  up "  or 
"  Thumbs  down,"  they  must  make  no  motion,  but 
when  the  leader  says,  "  Simon  says.  Thumbs  up,"  they 
must  put  them  so  if  they  are  already  turned  down,  and 
put  them  down  when  commanded  by  Simon  if  already 
up.  If  any  one  but  the  leader  should  give  the  com- 
mand or  if  thumbs  are  already  in  the  position  ordered, 
they  should  make  no  motion.  This  may  be  made  still 
more  exacting  by  specifying  right  or  left  thumb. 

16.  Future  Orders 
Obedience,  Memory,    Foresight 

Prepare  and  give  out  a  list  of  orders  to  be  executed 
for  the  next  day,  such  as, 

"John,  bring  me  to-morrow  morning  one  of  your 
picture  books." 

"  Mary,  bring  me  a  doll." 

"  Harry,  bring  me  a  colored  leaf,"  and  so  on. 

29 


Child  Training 

17.   Time    Orders 
Obedience,  Memory 

Prepare  and  give  out  a  list  of  orders  to  be  executed 

at  different  times  in  the  day  without  further  direction, 

thus : 

"  At  ten  o'clock,  John,  get  me  a  glass  of  water." 
"  At  ten-thirty  o'clock,  Mary,  bring  me  my  gloves." 
"  At  eleven  o'clock,  Harry,  open  the  windows  and 

Louise,  open  the  door." 

"  At  eleven-thirty,  Fred,  remind  me  that  I  am  to 

send  a  message." 

18.  Duties 

Obedience,  Memory,  Duty 

Prepare  and  give  out  a  list  of  orders  to  be  executed 
daily  at  regular  times  by  the  same  pupils  without  fur- 
ther direction  —  duties.  As  far  as  possible  these 
should  be  duties  that  are  actually  helpful  in  the  con- 
duct of  the  class,  not  fictitious,  so  that  each  may  feel 
he  has  not  only  a  part  but  a  function  in  the  community. 
Thus : 

"  John,  arrange  the  chairs  every  day  before  9 
o'clock." 

"  Mary,  water  the  flowers  every  day  just  before  9 
o'clock." 

"  Louise,  wind  and  set  the  clock  at  noon." 

"  Fred,  dust,"  etc. 

30 


Habit  Drills — Obedience 

Duties  should  be  assigned  that  are  unpleasant  as 
well  as  pleasant  and  the  child  instructed  that  a  duty  is 
to  be  accepted  pleasantly  and  attended  to  without  shirk- 
ing, whining  or  querulousness  and  be  trained  to  ob- 
serve this  rule  till  the  habit  of  graciously  accepting 
what  has  to  be,  is  fixed.  Each  week  the  duties  should 
be  shifted  so  that  each  child  may  have  a  turn,  practice 
in  different  occupations  and  a  taste  of  both  the  pleas- 
ant and  unpleasant  tasks. 


31 


ORDER  AND  NEATNESS  DRILLS 

The  desirability  of  order  and  neatness  on  both  es- 
thetic and  practical  grounds  should  be  obvious.  There 
is  furthermore,  a  close  connection  between  exterior 
order  and  mental  order.  The  person  who  is  slovenly 
and  untidy  in  his  personal  surroundings  over  which  he 
has  control  is  slovenly  and  untidy  in  his  thoughts  and 
mental  habits.  Order  and  system  are  essentials  of 
efficiency  in  both  thought  and  work. 

19.  Cleaning  up  Room 

Scatter  waste  paper,  blocks,  toys,  on  the  floor  and 
have  the  children  pick  them  up,  put  paper  in  scrap 
basket  and  blocks,  etc.,  where  they  belong. 

20.  Putting  Things  in  Place 

Disarrange  the  room  by  putting  things  out  of  their 
proper  place  —  a  coat  on  a  chair,  a  hat  on  the  table, 
a  hammer  on  the  desk,  a  towel  on  the  book  rack  and 
have  the  children  put  each  article  away  in  its  proper 
place.    ■ 

21.  Setting  Room  in  Order 

Disarrange  the  furniture  and  furnishings  of  a  room, 
turning  a  chair  to  the  wall,  putting  a  picture  on  the 

32 


Habit  Drills — Order  and  Neatness 

slant,  twisting  the  tables,  raising  one  shade,  etc.,  and 
have  each  child  in  turn  re-arrange  the  furniture  prop- 
erly. 

22.  Sorting  Papers 

Place  on  a  table  a  miscellaneous  lot  of  papers,  post 
cards,  envelopes,  etc.,  each  of  the  same  size  but  mixed 
higgledy-piggledy,  and  have  the  children  arrange  each 
kind  in  order  with  the  faces  all  up  and  in  the  same 
direction,  and  jog  each  pile  together  till  the  edges  are 
even  on  all  sides. 

23.  Sorting  Books 

Mix  a  pile  of  different  size  books  and  have  each  child 
arrange  the  pile  with  the  biggest  book  at  the  bottom 
and  the  others  of  diminishing  size  with  the  backs  of  all 
even  and  together. 

24.  Sorting  Miscellaneous  Articles 

Mix  books,  magazines,  newspapers,  letter  paper,  en- 
velopes, etc.,  and  have  each  child,  in  turn,  separate  and 
arrange  by  himself  the  different  articles. 

25.  Setting  Desk  in  Order 

Have  the  children  observe  the  arrangement  of  a  desk 
top  or  drawers,  the  mantel,  etc.  Then  take  everything 
off  and  away  from  the  mantel  and  the  desk  and  have 
them  place  the  things  back  in  their  proper  position. 

33 


Child  Training 

26.  Setting  Table 

Show  the  children  how  to  set  a  table  and  have  them 
set  one. 

27.  Setting  Cupboard  in  Order 

Show  the  children  the  orderly  shelves  of  a  cupboard 
or  pantry  closet,  then  disarrange  and  have  them  set 
everything  in  order  —  the  cups  together,  the  same  kind 
of  dishes  together,  knives  together,  forks  together,  and 
so  on. 

28.  Setting  Personal  Belongings  in  Order 

Have  the  children  set  their  own  things  to  rights  after 
each  use  and  keep  them  so.  When  a  child  undresses 
for  bed  he  should  fold  his  clothes  and  arrange  them  in 
an  orderly  manner  on  a  chair  or  hooks. 


34 


OBSERVATION  DRILLS 

It  is  usual  to  expect  the  child  to  observe  without  any 
special  training,  on  the  supposition  that  because  he  has 
all  his  senses  he  will  see  and  hear  whatever  is  to  be  seen 
or  heard,  and  yet  we  should  know  that  those  who 
have  eyes  to  see  frequently  do  not  see,  and  those  who 
have  ears  to  hear,  frequently  do  not  hear.  Indeed  it 
might  be  more  exact  to  say  that  people  as  a  rule  see 
and  hear  only  dully,  without  observing  details,  or  with- 
out having  them  make  any  impression  on  the  mind. 

The  musician  detects  fine  differences  in  shading  of 
tone  that  pass  entirely  over  the  ordinary  listener;  the 
artist  notices  the  contour  of  the  face,  the  color,  setting 
and  distance  apart  of  the  eyes  and  the  details  of  other 
features  that  no  one  without  his  training  sees. 

We  say  repeatedly  that  the  child  should  get  his  edu- 
cation not  from  books,  but  from  the  world  about  him, 
by  observation  at  first  hand,  and  yet  we  do  not  teach 
him  to  observe,  expecting  that  it  is  all  sufficient  to 
present  things  to  him  and  let  him  do  the  rest.  The 
result  is  inefficient  study,  wasted  time,  wasted  ma- 
terials, wasted  opportunities. 

The  way  to  open  the  child's  mind  to  observe  the 

35 


Child  Training 

world  without,  is  to  practise  him  in  observing  that 
world  through  the  different  senses.  The  habit  of 
observing  and  discriminating  once  formed  by  exercise 
and  drill  is  the  first  step  in  learning  that  vague  art  — 
the  advantage  and  importance  of  which  every  one  rec- 
ognizes and  acknowledges  but  for  which  few  have  been 
able  to  give  a  receipt  —  how  to  study.  The  next  fac- 
tors in  "  how  to  study  "  are  attention,  concentration, 
association  and  memory,  and  these  habits  will,  there- 
fore, be  practised  in  their  order. 

It  is  not  reasonable  to  postpone  teaching  the  child 
how  to  study  till  after  he  has  been  or  is  supposed  to 
have  been  studying  for  years. 

Special  exercises  for  training  in  observation  through 
taste  and  smell  are  chiefly  valuable  on  account  of  the 
mental  attitude  of  close  observation  and  discrimina- 
tion engendered,  rather  than  on  account  of  any  in- 
trinsic value,  slight  at  most,  which  the  ability  to  differ- 
entiate tastes  and  smells  may  have.  This  statement  is 
not  true,  however,  of  the  other  senses,  touch,  sight  and 
hearing,  where  the  training  is  of  the  greatest  possible 
importance  as  an  acquisition  in  itself. 

29.   Tasting 

Observation,  Discrimination 

Prepare  glasses  of  water,  as  follows:  Pure,  salt, 
sweet,  sour  (use  lime  or  lemon  juice),  bitter  (use  ex- 
tract of  bitter  almonds). 

3^ 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

Give  each  child  a  straw  and  have  each  in  turn  close 
his  eyes  and  taste  the  plain  water.  Or,  fill  a  medicine 
dropper  and  directing, 

"  Open  your  mouth  and  close  your  eyes,"  put  a  few 
drops  on  the  tongue  of  each.     Ask  the  children  to, 

"  Taste  the  taste,"  make  up  their  minds  what  it  is, 
and  when  all  have  had  a  taste  and  not  till  then,  tell 
what  it  is. 

Tell  them  they  are  not  to  answer  till  asked  per- 
sonally. Ask  several  others  in  turn  and  if  each  says 
"  Just  plain  water,"  or  "  Water,"  ask  those  thinking 
the  same  to  raise  their  hands.  (Children  at  this  age 
are  prone  to  raise  their  hands  indiscriminately  so  that 
due  allowance  must  be  made  for  this  form  of  affirma- 
tion, and  reliance  is  never  to  be  put  upon  it.)  If  the 
class  is  not  too  large,  each  pupil  may  be  called  to  the 
teacher's  side  to  whisper  his  opinion  in  her  ear.  Con- 
firm the  opinion  by  saying, 

"  Yes,  it  is  water,"  then  repeat  the  same  process 
using  the  salt  water.  If  some  say  "  Salt  water,"  and 
some  "  Sour  water,"  or  "  Plain  water,"  in  response  to 
the  second  test,  ask  those  that  think  one  thing  and 
those  another  to  arrange  themselves  in  groups,  stand- 
ing, sitting,  or  raising  their  hands,  accordingly,  before 
announcing  which  is  correct.  Proceed  in  the  same  way 
with  glasses  of  water  diluted  with  some  fruit  or  other 
syrup,  as  chocolate,  vanilla,  strawberry,  raspberry, 
pineapple,  orange,  peach,  cherry,  peppermint,  winter- 

»j  6  o  ^  -i 


Child  Training 

green.     Care  should  be  taken  to  give  only  a  taste  of 
each   flavor  and   not   enough   to   upset   the   stomach. 

30.  Smelling 
Observation,  Discrimination 

Use  fresh  flowers  or  small  glass  vials  filled  with 
some  or  all  of  the  following,  and  entirely  cover 
each  vial  with  paper  so  that  the  contents  cannot  be 
seen : 

Extract  of  carnation,  violet,  geranium,  rose;  orris 
root,  celery  seed,  coffee,  sage;  oil  of  cedar,  lemon, 
cloves,  nutmeg,  peppermint,  wintergreen,  turpentine, 
lavender. 

With  very  young  children  it  will  be  necessary  to  state 
the  name  of  the  flower,  or  spice,  or  herb  before  passing 
the  vials  for  smelling  and  this  may  have  to  be  repeated 
a  number  of  times  before  a  real  test  in  discrimination 
is  possible. 

Have  the  vials  passed  about  and  judged  as  in  the 
previous  exercise.  Use  not  more  than  five  the  first 
day.  The  sense  of  smell  becomes  easily  fatigued  so 
that  one  is  hardly  able  to  distinguish  differences  if 
more  than  five  are  smelled  in  rapid  succession.  If, 
also,  a  child  has  a  cold,  he  will  be  unable  to  do  himself 
justice. 

Have  the  glasses  used  in  the  previous  taste  exercise 
passed  about  to  each  child  in  turn  and  allow  him  three 
"  sniffs  "  with  the  eyes  closed.     For  this  purpose  it  may 

38 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

be  necessary  to  strengthen  the  solution  somewhat.  For- 
bid any  comment  whatever  till  each  child  is  asked  to 
name  what  it  is,  on  completion  of  the  round,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  taste  exercise. 

Explain  in  regard  to  the  use  of  perfumes,  that  those 
of  fresh  flowers  are  occasionally  permissible  to  girls 
and  women,  being  in  keeping  with  the  idea  of  feminine 
character,  but  that  they  are  very  bad  form  for  a  boy 
or  man. 

31.  Feeling  Fabrics 

Observation,  Discriminaiion,  Information 

Prepare  squares,  the  size  of  a  pocket  handkerchief, 
of  different  materials,  as  follows : 

Velvet,  wool,  silk,  cotton,  linen,  satin,  sateen,  bur- 
lap, corduroy,  buckram,  felt,  canvas,  cheesecloth, 
chamois,  leather,  pantesote. 

In  this  lesson  take  the  first  half  dozen  pieces  and 
pass  each  in  turn  to  the  children,  saying, 

"  This  is  velvet,"  "  This  is  wool,"  "  This  is  silk," 
and  so  on,  and  have  them  feel  and  examine  each  piece 
with  open  eyes  and  then  with  eyes  closed. 

Discuss  the  appropriate  uses  of  the  different  ma- 
terials —  which  are  suitable  for  summer  clothes,  which 
for  winter;  which  for  shirts,  handkerchiefs,  collars, 
trimmings ;  which  for  curtains,  upholstery,  etc. 

Blindfold  each  child  in  turn  and  test,  to  see  which 
can  identify  the  greatest  number  without  mistakes. 

39 


Child  Training 

32.  "  Blind  Man's  Buff  " 

Observation,  Discrimination,  Cleanliness 

Have  the  children  prepare  for  this  exercise  by  wash- 
ing their  hands  and  nails  till  they  are  surgically  clean. 
Explain  the  difference  between  ordinary  cleanliness 
and  surgical  cleanliness  and  insist  on  the  latter.  Send 
them  back  to  the  wash  room  repeatedly  till  the  skin  is 
pink  from  scrubbing  and  without  the  remotest  trace 
or  suggestion  of  a  shadow  or  discoloration  that  might 
be  dirt.  When  their  hands  are  perfectly  clean,  have 
them  observe  and  examine  the  feeling  of  the  clothes 
of  their  mates.  Then  blindfold  each  in  turn  and  have 
him  endeavor  to  identify  his  mates  by  feeling  their 
clothes  as  in  "  blind  man's  buff." 

33.  Feeling  Materials 

Observation,  Discrimination 

Give  lessons  similar  to  those  preceding,  using  other 
materials  such  as  wood,  metal,  hard  rubber,  soft  rub- 
ber, glass,  stone,  china,  plaster  of  Paris,  brick,  card- 
board, blotting  paper,  cork,  straw,  braid,  wire  screen- 
ing, crayon,  paraffine,  soap,  clay,  tin. 

At  first  the  children  may  finger  the  article  all  over, 
but  later  they  should  identify  it  by  touching  the  sur- 
face alone,  determining  what  it  is  by  its  roughness, 
smoothness,  coldness,  warmth,  elasticity,  plasticity, 
viscosity,  etc.,  not  by  its  form  —  a  much  more  difficult 

40 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

undertaking  and  requiring  a  keenness  of  perception  in 
which  only  a  moderate  degree  of  accuracy  can  be  ex- 
pected. 

34.   Weighing 

Observation,  Discrimination,  Baric  Sense 

Show  children  a  pair  of  balance  scales,  those  with 
balanced  pans  on  each  side  of  a  fulcrum,  and  how 
things  of  equal  weight  balance  each  other  while  in  the 
case  of  unequal  weights  the  heavier  falls  and  the  lighter 
rises.  Then  take  two  boxes  of  equal  size  but  unequal 
weight,  such  as  two  match  boxes,  and  fill  one  with 
meal  and  the  other  with  sand.  Place  one  box  in  the 
right  hand  of  a  child  and  the  other  box  in  his  left  and 
ask  him  to  tell  which  is  heavier  or  which  is  lighter. 
Verify  or  correct  his  judgment  by  balancing  the  boxes 
on  the  scales,  after  he  has  opened  his  eyes.  Do  the 
same  with  two  books  and  two  packages. 

Then  take  two  packs  of  cards  and  subtract  from  one 
pack  and  add  to  the  other  to  make  small  differences  in 
weight,  and  test  the  pupil's  baric  sense,  as  for  the 
books. 

35.  Finding  in  the  Dark 
Observation,  Muscular  Sense 

Blindfold  a  seated  child  and  giving  him  five  ten- 
pins, ask  him  to  set  them  up  the  same  distance  apart 
in  a  line  before  him  on  the  table.  Then  ask  him  to 
reach  out  and  hand  you  the  ten-pin  on  the  right  end,  or 

41 


Child  Training 

the  left  end,  then  the  middle,  etc.  He  should  take  hold 
of  the  ten-pin  asked  for  the  very  first  time  and  not 
feel  around  for  the  right  one,  or  touch  any  other.  If 
he  does  so  it  is  a  failure. 

36.  Finding  in  the  Dark 

Observation,  Muscular  Sense 

Put  several  articles,  such  as  a  cup,  a  bottle,  a  hat,  a 
book  in  different  parts  of  the  room,  on  the  table, 
mantel,  peg,  desk,  etc.,  then  stand  a  ten-pin  or  Indian 
club  on  the  floor  in  the  vicinity  of  each  article.  Then, 
blindfold  each  child  in  turn  and  ask  him  to  get  you 
the  cup  or  hat,  or  other  article,  without  knocking 
down  a  ten-pin.  At  first  the  children  should  be  allowed 
to  go  over  the  course  before  being  blindfolded. 

37.  Feeling  Paper 

Observation,  Discrimination 

Get  together  sheets  of  paper  of  different  weights, — 
tissue  and  5,  20,  25  lbs.,  etc.  (meaning  weight  of 
ream)  —  and  have  the  children  tell  which  is  thicker  and 
heavier  by  feeling  it  between  their  fingers. 

38.  Object  Seeing 

Observation 

This  is  called  the  "  I  see  game."  Each  child  is  given 
a  turn  to  name  an  object  he  sees  for  the  others  to  dis- 
cover, thus: 

42 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

First  Child,  "  I  see  a  clock." 

Second  Child,  "  It 's  on  the  wall." 

First  Child,  "  Yes." 

Second  Child,  "  I  see  a  basket." 

Third  Child,  "  It 's  by  the  desk." 

Second  Child,  "  No." 

Third  Child,  "  There  it  is  on  the  table." 

Second  Child,  "  Yes." 

Third  Child,  "  I  see  a  ring,"  and  so  on. 

39.  Finding  and  Replacing 

Observation 

This  is  a  most  valuable  exercise  in  finding  things. 
We  all  know  how  many  have  eyes  and  see  not,  how 
often  even  older  people  fail  to  see  something  for  which 
they  are  looking,  even  when  it  is  right  before  them. 

"  Plant  "  various  articles  in  different  parts  of  the 
room  or  building  —  a  pair  of  scissors  in  the  top  drawer 
of  your  desk,  a  ball  on  the  shelf  of  the  closet,  a  paint 
box  in  the  basket  on  the  table,  a  red  book  on  the  bot- 
tom row  of  the  bookcase,  etc.,  and  prepare  a  list  ac- 
cordingly. Make  sure  that  each  article  is  where  it  is 
supposed  to  be  and  that  the  children  know  what  they 
are  looking  for,  are  ignorant  of  its  whereabouts  and 
understand  the  descriptive  term,  such  as  top,  bottom, 
red,  etc.  Then  give  the  order  to  each  child  to  bring 
you  the  various  articles,  thus : 

"John,    get    me    the    scissors    in    the    top    drawer 

43 


Child  Training 

of  the  desk."  "  Mary,  get  me  the  ball  from  the  shelf 
of  the  closet,"  and  so  on.  In  this  lesson  the  specific 
location  should  be  given  in  each  instance,  so  that  there 
may  be  no  excuse  for  the  child  not  finding  the  article. 

After  all  the  articles  have  been  brought  you,  have 
them  all  re-placed,  by  ordering  each  child  in  turn  thus : 

"  Put  the  ball  on  the  shelf  of  the  closet,"  etc. 

Of  course,  the  replacing  order  should  be  to  a  differ- 
ent child  than  the  one  who  did  the  fetching. 

40.  Rapid  Finding 
Discrimination,  Observation,  Speed 

Repeat  the  previous  drill  but  with  a  newly  prepared 
and  different  list  of  orders  and  have  all  children  ex- 
cept the  one  executing  the  order,  close  their  eyes  so  that 
they  may  not  rely  on  memory  for  the  proper  location 
when  replacing  on  second  round.  Also  have  them, 
with  their  eyes  closed,  count  out  loud  in  concert  with 
the  teacher  while  the  search  is  being  made,  to  determine 
the  time  taken  by  each  pupil  in  executing  the  order. 
Thus,  Teacher : 

"  John,  get  me  my  hand  bag  from  the  closet." 

The  children  close  their  eyes  and  count,  one,  two, 
three,  four,  five,  six,  etc.,  in  concert  with  the  teacher. 
Teacher : 

"  Thank  you  " —  as  it  is  handed  to  her.  Children 
stop  their  counting  and  open  their  eyes  at  the  signal, 
"  Thank  you." 

44 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

41.  Rapid  Finding  and  Replacing 
Observation,  Attention,  Memory 

Read  a  newly  prepared  list  of  orders  for  fetching, 
but  have  the  children  act  on  the  directions  not  as  given 
but  simultaneously  after  the  entire  list  has  been  read 
and  the  teacher  has  said  "  Now,  each  do  what  I  told 
you."  Then  have  the  children  replace  the  articles 
simultaneously  after  the  orders  have  been  re-assorted, 
so  that  the  child  does  not  replace  what  he  fetched. 

42.  Finding  Book 
Observation,  Attention 

Show  the  children  a  book  and  ask  them  to  note  its 
characteristic  features,  color,  size,  thickness.  Then 
ask  them  to  turn  their  backs  while  you  place  the  book 
among  others  in  the  bookcase.  Then  ask  a  child  to 
find  and  bring  you  the  book  in  the  quickest  possible 
time.  Count  out  loud  and  have  the  children  do  so 
with  you  till  the  book  is  found. 

Repeat  the  exercise,  placing  the  book  on  another 
shelf  or  in  a  different  section,  and  have  each  child  in 
turn  find  it,  seeing  who  can  do  so  in  the  shortest  time. 

43.  Arranging  Colors 
Observation,  Discrimination,  Cleanliness 

Give  the  children  spools,  reels  or  bobbins  of  embroid- 
ery floss  or  worsted,  in  varying  tones  and  shades  of 

45 


Child  Training 

red,  orange,  yellow,  blue,  green,  violet,  unassorted.  It 
is  supposed  that  the  names  of  the  colors  have  been 
learned  in  a  previous  Manual  Training  Period.  Have 
the  children  make  their  hands  surgically  clean,  in  order 
not  to  soil  the  delicate  colors,  then  ask  the  first  child  to 
pick  out  red  and  arrange  by  it  all  its  shades  and  tints 
in  their  proper  order,  from  normal  to  dark,  and  from 
normal  to  light.  The  normal  is  the  rainbow  color, 
its  tints  are  the  same  color  lightened  in  different  de- 
grees, its  shades  are  the  same  color  darkened  in  dif- 
ferent degrees. 

Ask  the  second  child  to  do  the  same  with  the  orange, 
and  so  on. 

44.  Matching  Fabrics 

Observation,  Discrimination,  Cleanliness 

Prepare  a  box  of  good  sized  odds  and  ends  of  dif- 
ferent colored  fabrics,  being  sure  that  there  are  two  or 
more  of  precisely  the  same  tone,  but  of  different  ma- 
terial, for  example,  a  square  of  lavender  cotton,  a  bit 
of  lavender  ribbon,  a  scrap  of  lavender  spool  silk,  etc., 
all  matching.  Give  a  piece  of  material  to  each  child 
and  have  him  find  the  other  pieces  that  match  it. 

45.  Selecting  Appropriate  Material 

Observation,  Good  Taste,  Judgment 

Prepare  a  box  of  odds  and  ends  of  tailors'  samples 
of  cloth,  also  madras,  percale,  shirting  material  and  the 

a6 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

like.  Then  have  the  boys  pick  out  samples  of  goods 
for  an  imaginary  outfit  and  the  girls  do  likewise  with 
the  box  previously  used. 

The  boys  and  girls  should  then  comment  on  the  selec- 
tion each  has  made  and  the  teacher  criticize  both, 
or  suggest  improvements  in  color  scheme  or  choice  of 
materials. 

The  teacher  should  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
certain  colors  are  more  becoming  to  blondes  and  certain 
others  to  brunettes,  that  some  colors  are  loud  or  con- 
spicuous, and  others,  all  right  by  themselves,  clash  when 
associated. 

The  laws  governing  color  harmonies  and  taste  in 
colors  are  not  adequately  covered  by  any  rule.  Taste 
is  simply  the  result  of  cultivation,  in  observing  fine 
discriminations  and  continually  striving  to  feel  the 
effect  of  different  combinations  on  the  esthetic  emo- 
tions. 

The  teacher  should  be  quite  sure  she  is  right  (and 
who  can  be)  before  insisting  on  the  acceptance  of  her 
own  choice.  On  the  other  hand,  the  children  should 
be  encouraged  to  have  a  favorite  color,  an  opinion  of 
their  own  as  to  color  harmonies  with  a  reason,  if  pos- 
sible, in  such  a  case. 


47 


Child  Training 

46.  Finding  Color 

Observation 

Say  to  the  children,  "  I  want  you  to  tell  me  all  the 
colors  you  can  see  in  this  room  —  or  out  of  doors  — 
or,  in  this  colored  picture."     One  child  may  then  say, 

"  I  see  red,  do  you?  " 

The  next  one,  or  the  teacher  tells  where  he  sees  red, 
until  the  first  child  says,  "  Yes,  that 's  it." 

Continue  this  till  small  and  obscure  bits  of  color  are 
seen  and  recognized,  and  names  are  learned  for  other 
colors  and  shades  that  are  not  prismatic,  such  as  gilt, 
tan,  flesh  color. 

47.  ''Shop  Window" 

Observation,  Attention,  Concentration,  Memory 

On  a  table  place  a  dozen  promiscuous  articles,  such 
as  a  book,  a  doll,  a  cake  of  soap,  a  pair  of  scissors,  a 
box  of  matches,  a  piece  of  ribbon,  and  so  on,  being 
careful  that  the  children  do  not  see  what  the  things  are. 
Cover  these  articles  with  a  cloth  and  tell  the  children 
when  you  draw  the  cloth  they  are  to  notice  and  bear 
in  mind  as  many  of  the  articles  as  they  can  before  you 
cover  them. 

Then  give  the  warning  signal  of  attention,  saying, 

"  Now." 

Draw  the  cloth,  count  five  and  replace  it.  Ask 
the  children  to  close  their  eyes  and  go  over  in  their 

48 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

minds  what  they  saw,  being  careful  to  mention  nothing 
out  loud  till  directed  to  do  so. 

Give  them  a  second  glance  to  confirm  or  correct  their 
mental  list,  exposing  the  articles  to  view  once  more, 
but  this  time  only,  while  you  count  two.  Then  call 
upon  a  child  and  have  him  give  a  list  of  the  articles 
he  remembers  having  seen.  If  he  fails  to  give  a 
complete  list  or  names  articles  incorrectly,  other  chil- 
dren may  be  called  upon  to  complete  the  list  or  make 
corrections.  Repeat  the  exercise  several  times,  change 
ing  the  articles  each  time,  of  course,  and  reducing  the 
time,  increasing  the  number  of  articles  and  omitting 
the  second  view  as  the  children  become  quicker  and 
more  accurate  in  observing.  The  exercise  is  a  valuable 
one  to  give  once  each  day  or  every  few  days  for  some 
time. 

48.  Sight  Seeing 
Observation,  Attention,  Concentration,  Memory 

Take  the  children  on  a  tour  of  inspection  to  visit 
another  room  in  the  house.  Tell  them  they  are  to 
notice  everything  they  can  in  the  room,  the  number  of 
windows,  the  chairs,  closets,  bookcases,  pictures,  plants, 
and  miscellaneous  articles.  Arrange  the  children  in  a 
position  to  view  the  room  when  the  door  is  opened, 
then  open  it,  saying, 

"  Now." 

Count  ten  and  close  the  door.     Have  a  child  describe 

49 


Child  Training 

the  details  he  has  observed  as  fully  as  he  can  and  have 
them  augmented  and  corrected  as  in  the  previous  drill. 

49.  Hunting  Coin 

Observation,  Attention,  Self-control 

Play  the  game  of  "  Hunt  the  Coin."  Have  the  chil- 
dren close  their  eyes,  or  leave  the  room,  while  you  place 
a  penny,  a  quarter  or  other  coin,  in  some  part  of  the 
room  w^here  it  can  be  seen  —  not  under  cover  —  on  a 
pedal  of  the  piano  or  in  the  bottom  of  a  glass,  for  in- 
stance. Then  ask  the  children  to  hunt  and  when  they 
have  seen  the  quarter,  whisper  its  location  to  you  and 
take  their  places  by  your  side  without  betraying  where 
the  coin  is  by  look,  gesture  or  exclamation.  Continue 
the  game  by  having  a  child  do  the  hiding. 

50.  Altering  Card 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Lay  out  on  a  table  a  dozen  playing  cards  or  pictures 
of  a  uniform  size  in  three  rows  of  four  each.  Cover 
them  until  ready  to  give  the  test.  At  the  usual  signal, 
"  Now,"  draw  the  cover  and  have  the  children  note  the 
arrangement.  Then  cover  or  have  the  children  close 
their  eyes  or  turn  their  backs  while  you  change  the 
arrangement  of  one  card  or  picture  or  exchange  it  for 
another.  On  signal,  have  them  re-observe  the  cards  to 
find  out,  if  they  can,  what  alteration  has  taken  place. 


50 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

51.  Describing  a  Child 
Observation,  Attention,  Courtesy 

Ask  a  child  to  stand  before  the  class,  turn  round  for 
inspection,  then  leave  the  room.  After  he  has  done 
so,  ask  the  children  to  describe  the  cut  and  material  of 
his  clothes,  the  color  of  his  hair  and  eyes,  etc.  Be 
careful  that  children  do  not  become  unpleasantly  per- 
sonal in  this  exercise.     Explain  the  golden  rule. 

52.  Describing  a  Person 

Observation,  Discrimination,  Courtesy 

Ask  a  child  to  describe  a  person  with  whom  all  are 
familiar  and  have  the  others  guess  who  is  meant,  the 
correct  identifier  to  have  the  privilege  of  the  next  de- 
scription. Ask  the  children  to  describe  any  visitor  to 
the  class  after  he  leaves. 

53.  Observing  Changes  of  Dress 

Observation,  Discrimination,  Attention 

Standing  before  the  class  and  turning  round  so  that 
they  may  view  you  from  all  sides,  ask  them  to  observe 
every  detail  of  your  dress,  so  that  they  will  be  able 
to  recognize  any  change  made  in  it.  Then  go  from  the 
room  and  alter,  add  or  take  off  some  detail.  For  ex- 
ample, take  off  a  pin  or  change  its  position,  undo  one 
button,  hide  a  handkerchief  that  was  previously  visible 
or  vice  versa,  change  a  belt  buckle  from  front  to  back 

51 


Child  Training 

or  a  bow  from  right  to  left  and  so  on.  When  you 
return,  ask  those  who  notice  any  change  that  has  been 
made  to  raise  their  hands  and  have  one  of  them  tell 
what  it  is.  Then  have  the  child  giving  the  correct  ob- 
servation, take  your  place  and  go  through  a  similar 
exercise,  endeavoring  to  make  an  original  change  in  his 
own  costume. 

54.  Describing  a  Picture 

Observation,  Discrimination,  Language,  Appreciation 

Prepare  a  set  of  pictures,  preferably  copies  of  famous 
paintings,  in  each  of  which  there  are  people  doing  some- 
thing as,  for  example,  Millet's  "  First  Step."  Ask  the 
children  to  examine  carefully  the  picture  selected  for 
the  lesson,  so  as  to  be  able  not  only  to  enumerate  all 
the  elements  of  the  picture,  but  to  describe  the  action 
—  what  is  taking  place.  Thus,  in  the  case  of  the 
"  First  Step,"  in  response  to  the  question, 

"What  do  you  see?"  they  should  not  merely  say, 
"  I  see  a  man,  a  woman,  a  baby,  a  shovel,  a  wheel- 
barrow, a  fence,  trees,"  etc.,  but,  "  I  see  a  man  kneel- 
ing with  one  knee  on  the  ground,  stretching  out  his 
hands  to  a  little  child  whom  the  mother  is  holding  up 
while  trying  to  walk  to  its  father.  The  father  has  just 
come  from  work  and  has  left  his  wheelbarrow  and 
dropped  his  shovel  by  his  side.  The  mother  and  child 
have  just  come  out  of  the  gate  to  meet  him,"  and  so 
on.     Then  ask  them  for  further  details,  such  as, 

52 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

"  Which  knee  is  the  father  resting  on  ?  " 

"Which  foot  has  the  child  raised?" 

"  Is  the  wheelbarrow  full  or  empty  ?  " 

"  Has  the  man  a  coat  on  ?  " 

"  What  kind  of  hat  has  the  woman?  "  etc. 

Continue  in  this  way  on  other  days  with  other  pic' 
tures,  the  names  of  which  the  child  should,  of  course, 
be  told. 

55.  Guessing  Picture  Described 
Observation,  Discrimination,  Memory,  Language 

Ask  each  child  in  turn  to  describe  a  picture  studied 
on  a  previous  day  and  have  the  other  children  name 
the  picture  after  he  has  finished  the  description.  The 
child  answering  correctly  is  then  to  give  a  description 
of  another  picture. 

56.  Living  Pictures 

Observation,  Attention,  Memory,  Imitation 

Prepare  a  set  of  pictures,  not  necessarily  different 
from  the  foregoing,  in  which  the  action  or  the  pose  of 
the  figures,  can  be  imitated,  for  example,  Raphael's 
Cherubs,  from  the  picture  of  the  Sistine  Madonna. 
Ask  the  children  to  scrutinize  this  picture,  noticing  the 
position  of  the  arms,  hands,  head,  eyes,  etc.  Then  ask 
one  to  imitate  the  pose  of  the  right  hand  or  the  left 
hand  cherub,  or  two  children  to  imitate  the  group. 
The  pose  should  be  practised  till  it  corresponds  in  every 

53 


Child  Training 

detail,  so  that  if  a  photograph  were  taken,  it  would  be 
the  exact  counterpart  of  the  original,  except,  of  course, 
in  features  and  dress.  In  the  same  way,  other  pictures 
with  more  dramatic  action  like  the  "  First  Step  "  should 
be  imitated.  Ask  a  child  to  "act  out"  a  picture  and 
have  the  other  children  guess  the  picture  intended. 
The  child  selected  should  make  his  own  choice  of 
picture  to  be  acted,  but  not  tell  any  one  what  it  is, 
except  of  course  any  others  he  needs  and  should  call 
upon  to  act  with  him. 

57.  Statues 
A    variation    of    the    foregoing    game    is    called 
"Statues".     Ask  each  child  to  pose  as  a  statue  of,  A 
Soldier,  A  Praying  Child,  etc. 

58.  Criticising  Incongruous  Pictures 
Attention,  Discrimination,  Judgment 

Prepare  a  set  of  pictures  in  each  of  which  there  is 
something  wrong,  lacking,  incongruous,  grotesque  or 
peculiar  —  a  chicken  with  four  legs,  a  man  with  arms 
attached  to  his  neck  instead  of  his  shoulders,  a  tele- 
phone standing  upside  down,  a  bearded  man  in  woman's 
clothes,  a  horse  looking  out  of  a  window  of  a  house,  a 
man  digging  with  a  broom,  a  dog  with  only  three 
legs,  a  clock  without  hands  or  with  hands  and  no  fig- 
ures, a  drum  or  bucket  with  both  top  and  bottom  show- 
ing at  the  same  time  (difficult),  a  dog  chasing  a  cow 
smaller  than  himself,  an  American  flag  with  the  stripes 

54 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

running  vertically  or  the  stars  in  the  wrong  corner. 
etc. 

Give  each  child  a  picture,  tell  him  to  make  no  com- 
ment aloud,  but,  when  he  has  discovered  the  peculiarity, 
to  raise  his  hand  and  whisper  it  to  you  when  you  go 
to  his  side.  Exchange  the  pictures  and  continue  till 
each  has  had  a  turn  to  inspect  all  of  the  pictures,  after 
which  the  peculiarities  may  be  discussed  aloud. 

59.  Finding  Hidden  Pictures 
Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Prepare  a  set  of  hidden  pictures,  that  is,  pictures  hid- 
den within  the  drawing  of  another  obvious  picture. 
For  instance,  the  obvious  picture  may  be  of  an  old  man 
leaning  on  a  cane  and  the  hidden  picture  a  fairy  in  his 
beard,  seen  only  by  turning  the  picture  upside  down. 
Such  pictures  may  usually  be  found  in  the  daily  papers. 
Give  each  child  one  of  these  hidden  pictures,  tell  him 
what  he  is  to  look  for  and,  when  he  has  discovered  it, 
to  indicate  to  the  teacher  privately  where  it  is.  The 
picture  may  then  be  passed  to  the  next  and  the  same 
thing  continued. 

60.  Observing  Neighborhood  Details 

Observation,  Attention 

Ask  the  children  to  notice  anything  peculiar,  new,  or 
interesting  that  they  see  on  the  way  to  school  and  tell 
about  it  at  the  conversation  period  the  next  day.     For 

55 


Child  Training 

instance,  they  might  report  a  placard  posted  on  a  tele- 
graph pole,  a  window  flower  box  in  a  house  down  the 
street,  a  new  awning  over  a  store,  a  sidewalk  being  re- 
paired, a  house  being  painted. 

6i.  Observing  Neighborhood  Details 
Observation,  Attention 

Ask  the  children  where  in  the  neighborhood  is  the 
nearest  letter  box,  drug  store,  fire  alarm,  clock,  doctor's 
office,  public  telephone,  telegraph  office ;  what  house  has 
outside  shutters,  which  one  a  front  porch  or  a  bow 
window,  where  are  there  marble  steps,  and  so  on. 

62.   Observing  Neighborhood  Details 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination,  Memory 

Ask  the  children  to  notice  all  the  important  features 
of  houses  or  landscape  in  the  neighborhood,  then  give 
each  a  turn  to  ask  where  such  and  such  a  thing  is,  or 
what  can  be  seen  at  such  a  place ;  the  one  answering  cor- 
rectly to  have  the  next  turn  to  propound  a  question. 
The  children  should  be  taught  to  discriminate  be- 
tween the  important  and  unimportant  by  having  the 
latter  ruled  out  as  such. 

Is  the  house  on  the  corner  wood,  brick  or  stone?  Is 
the  one  cat-a-cornered  from  it  three  or  four  stories 
high?  Is  the  one  across  the  way  red  or  yellow ?  Has 
the  church  down  the  street  one  door  or  more  ? 


56 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

6^.  "  Stranger  in  Town  " 

Observation,  Direction,  Courtesy,  Dramatic  Imitation 
Tell  the  children  to  imagine  that  you  are  a  stranger 
in  town  and  want  to  know  how  to  get  to  the  hotel,  the 
post  office  or  the  railroad  station.  Ask  one  of  them  to 
give  you  the  shortest  and  clearest  direction  he  can  to 
indicate  the  route  you  must  take.  Ask  another  to  im- 
prove on  the  directions,  if  he  can.  Then  have  one  of 
their  number  pretend  to  be  the  stranger  and  ask  to  be 
directed  to  the  points  of  interest.  Have  the  one  spoken 
to  show  courtesy,  cordiality  and  graciousness,  but  also 
reserve,  avoiding  gushing  or  the  manners  of  a  confi- 
dence man. 

Have  the  two  selected  act  out  before  the  class  such 
possible  street  scenes  with  all  the  vividness  of  reality 
that  they  can  give. 

64.  "  He  Can  Do  Little  " 

Observation,  Attention 

Play  the  game  of  "  He  can  do  little."  The  teacher 
holding  a  cane  in  the  right  hand  says  to  the  children, 
"  You  must  watch  me  closely  and  imitate  exactly  what 
I  do  and  say.  Those  who  succeed  in  imitating  me 
exactly,  come  to  my  side."  She  then  taps  the  cane 
on  the  floor,  saying  at  the  same  time, 

"  He  can  do  little,  who  can't  do  this,"  and  passes 
the  cane  first  to  her  left  hand  and  then  to  the  next 

57 


Child  Training 

child.  The  point  is  that  the  next  child  attending  to 
the  words  and  the  tapping  will  fail  to  observe  how  the 
cane  was  passed  and  will  naturally  pass  it  directly  from 
the  right  hand  in  which  it  is  held.  Each  child  in  turn 
tries  to  imitate  and  the  teacher  says,  "  right "  or 
"  wrong."  Those  successful  go  to  the  teacher's  side. 
The  teacher  then  repeats  and  the  remaining  children 
try  again  to  imitate.  Of  course,  the  children  who 
have  correctly  observed  should  be  cautioned  not  to  re- 
veal the  secret  by  any  word,  gesture,  emphasis  or  in 
any  other  way  than  by  the  accurate  imitation.  A  more 
difficult  variation  of  this  is  to  use  the  words  "  I  re- 
ceived it  crossed  and  pass  it  uncrossed,"  or  "  I  received 
it  uncrossed  and  pass  it  crossed,"  and  so  on. 
"  Crossed  "  being  used  when  passed  or  received  from 
the  right  hand  and  uncrossed  when  passed  or  received 
from  the  left  hand. 

65.  "  The  Moon  is  Round  " 

Observation,  Attention 

In  the  game  of  "  The  Moon  Is  Round,"  the  teacher 
says,  "  The  moon  is  round  and  has  two  eyes,  a  nose  and 
a  mouth,"  at  the  same  time  drawing  in  the  air  with  the 
index  finger  of  the  left  hand  an  imaginary  picture  of 
the  moon,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  thus  —  de- 
scribing a  circle  when  she  says,  "  The  moon  is  round," 
indicating  two  dots  for  eyes  when  she  says,  "  has  two 
eyes,"  and  a  vertical  and  horizontal  dash,  respectively, 

58 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

when  she  says,  "  a  nose  and  a  mouth."  The  child,  if 
right  handed,  will  naturally  draw  the  moon  with  the 
index  finger  of  the  right  hand  and  the  point,  of  course, 
for  him  to  observe  and  carry  out  is  the  use  of  the  left 
finger. 

66.  What  Do  You  Hear/ 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Ask  the  children  to  close  their  eyes,  keep  quiet  for 
two  minutes  and  listen  and  note  all  the  various  sounds 
they  hear.     Then  at  the  expiration  of  that  time,  ask, 

"  Who  has  heard  five  different  things ;  has  any  one 
heard  any  more  ?  "  Then  ask  the  one  who  has  ob- 
served the  greatest  number  to  enumerate  them.  Thus 
he  might  say  he  had  heard  the  sound  of  a  wagon  on 
the  street  —  if  he  mentions  the  sound  of  the  wheels  and 
of  the  horse's  hoofs  and  the  creak  of  an  axle,  each 
counts  one  —  the  ticking  or  striking  of  a  clock,  the 
scraping  of  a  chair,  a  footstep  in  the  hall,  the  toot  of  a 
steam  whistle,  the  clang  of  a  bell,  the  flap  of  a  curtain, 
the  cry  of  a  huckster,  the  honk  of  an  automobile,  the 
running  of  water,  a  song  or  whistle  of  a  workman,  the 
knocking  in  a  radiator,  the  splash  or  patter  of  rain, 
the  pound  of  a  hammer,  the  ripping  of  a  saw,  or  other 
such  sounds. 


59 


Child  Training 

67.  Who  Speaksf 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Explain  that  one  child,  whom  you  will  indicate,  is  to 
leave  the  room  and  speak  from  outside  in  his  natural 
voice  and  the  remainder  of  the  class  is  to  try  to  deter- 
mine who  it  is  from  the  sound  of  his  voice. 

Have  the  children  sit  in  line  with  their  backs  turned 
and  eyes  shut.  Touch  one  of  them  on  the  shoulder 
and  have  him  tip-toe  out  of  the  room  unobserved  by 
his  classmates.  From  that  position  he  should  call  upon 
one  of  the  children  to  guess  who  is  speaking.  This 
may  be  varied  by  having  the  speaker  place  his  hands 
from  behind  over  the  eyes  of  any  child  he  may  choose, 
then  answer  in  his  natural  voice  any  question  the  child 
so  blindfolded  may  ask  him. 

68.  What  Makes  the  Sound? 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

With  the  children  seated,  as  in  the  previous  exercise, 
make  sounds  of  different  sorts  and  have  each  child  in 
turn  tell  what  it  is.  Tap  on  the  floor,  the  wall,  the  door, 
the  window,  a  hollow  box,  a  drinking  glass ;  clap  the 
hands,  clap  two  books  together ;  snap  the  fingers,  stamp 
or  scrape  the  foot,  rub  the  hands  together,  crumple  a 
newspaper,  rattle  the  door  knob,  drum  on  the  desk, 
shake  the  coins  in  your  pocket  or  a  bunch  of  keys,  etc. 


60 


Habit  Drills — Observation 

69.  What  Animal  Is  Itf 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Make  different  imitative  sounds  with  your  lips, 
tongue,  throat,  etc.,  such  as  the  cackle  of  a  hen,  the 
buzz  of  a  bee  or  mosquito,  the  grunt  of  a  pig,  the 
whinny  of  a  horse,  the  bark  of  a  dog,  the  meow  of  a 
cat,  the  moo  of  a  cow,  etc.,  and  have  each  child  in  turn 
tell  what  is  intended. 

70.   Timing  Glasses 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Give  each  child  two  drinking  glasses,  one  empty,  the 
other  containing  some  water.  Put  some  water  in  a 
glass  of  your  own  and  tap  it  to  give  a  musical  note. 
Show  the  children  that  adding  water  raises  the  pitch  of 
the  note  and  pouring  out  water  lowers  it.  Then  have 
them  experiment  with  their  own  glasses,  adding  and 
pouring  out  water  till  the  pitch  of  their  glasses  matches 
that  of  the  teacher's.  Children  at  this  age  have,  as  a 
general  rule,  a  very  poor  ear  for  music  and  though  en- 
tering into  songs  and  rhythmic  exercise  with  the  great- 
est spirit,  do  not  readily  distinguish  shades  of  difference 
in  pitch,  often  sharping  and  flatting  a  note  or  more 
without  being  conscious  of  doing  so.  These  exercises 
are,  therefore,  important  for  training  the  ear. 


61 


Child  Training 

71.   Tuning  a  String 
Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Take  a  violin  or  other  stringed  instrument,  or  stretch 
a  gut  string  so  that  its  pitch  can  be  regulated  by  turn- 
ing a  key  and  have  each  child  in  turn  tune  a  string  in 
unison  with  a  tuning  fork,  a  pitch  pipe,  or  a  note  on 
the  piano. 

^2.  Matching  Notes 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination 

Sing  a  note  and  have  the  children  together  and 
then  in  turn  sing  the  note,  saying,  "  Ah,"  Sound  a 
note  on  the  piano,  pitch  pipe  or  other  instrument  and 
have  the  children  imitate  it.  The  children  may  in  the 
same  way  sing  other  notes  in  succession. 

yT,.  Singing  the  Scale 

Observation,  Attention,  Discrimination,  Imitation 

Have  the  children  sing  the  scale  in  concert  with  you 
without  you  and  by  themselves  separately.  Sing  notes 
at  different  intervals,  3rds,  5ths,  octaves,  ascending 
and  descending  and  have  the  children  do  the  same  after 
you. 


62 


IMITATION  DRILLS 

Imitation  involves  close  observation,  in  fact  it  is 
observation  put  into  action.  Children  delight  in  imi- 
tation, especially  in  the  kind  of  mimicry  that  is  gro^ 
tesque,  exaggerated  and  lacking  in  respect. 

74.  Pantomime 

Observation,  Imitation 

Have  each  child  in  turn,  act  in  pantomime  and  have 
the  class  guess  who  or  what  is  intended.  Some  suitable 
subjects  are  motorman,  postman,  chauffeur,  carpenter, 
horseshoer,  fisherman,  tight-rope  walker,  typewriter, 
pianist,  a  woman  doing  up  her  hair,  a  man  shaving,  a 
boy  batting  a  base  ball  or  playing  tennis,  and  so  on. 
They  should  notice  all  the  little  characteristics,  attitudes 
and  movements  not  only  of  the  body,  arms  and  fingers, 
but  of  the  face  and  imitate  them  with  as  close  fidelity 
as  they  are  able. 

75.  Imitating  by  Voice  and  Gesture 
Imitation 

Have  the  children  in  turn  imitate  different  charac- 
ters, as  in  the  previous  lesson,  but  employ  speech  as 
well  as  pantomime  —  a  man  telephoning,  a  conductor 

63 


Child  Training 

collecting  fares,  a  doctor  prescribing  for  a  patient,  a 
hostess  receiving  guests. 

76.   Tzvo   Part  Acting 

Imitation 

Have  two  of  the  children  act  together  and  imitate 
as  previously,  a  mother  or  nurse  dressing  a  child,  a 
woman  being  fitted  for  a  dress,  a  gentleman  calling  on 
a  lady. 

yy.  Charades 

Imitation 

Have  the  children  divide  into  two  groups  and  each 
group  in  turn  act  a  scene  that  is  descriptive  of  a  word 
or  a  play  upon  a  word,  while  the  other  group  tries  to 
guess  what  is  intended. 


64 


ASSOCIATION  DRILLS 

The  habit  of  associating  and  comparing  whatever 
is  observed  with  what  is  already  in  the  mind  is  one 
of  the  most  valuable  of  all  mental  functions.  Upon 
it  depend  imagination,  memory ;  originality,  invention ; 
wit  and  humor;  reason,  judgment;  abstraction,  gener- 
alization, etc.  In  fact,  simple  observation,  the  simple 
recording  of  mental  images  of  the  outside  world  is  of 
comparatively  little  value  without  association.  Some 
children  and  people  seem  naturally  to  associate  every 
mental  image  while  others  seldom  do,  but  the  habit  can 
be  developed  by  practice  and  is  capable  of  the  greatest 
possibilities. 

78.  Associating  Ideas 

Association 

Name  a  color  —  red,  for  instance  —  and  ask  each 
child  in  turn  to  name  things  that  are  red  —  fire,  lips,  a 
rose,  rubies,  etc.  Then  ask  a  child,  pursuing  the  vari- 
ous associations  in  different  directions,  to  tell  what  each 
of  these  things  suggest  —  fire  on  the  hearth,  a  build- 
ing on  fire,  etc.  Then  ask  another  child,  starting  with 
the  color  blue,  in  the  same  way  to  think  of  one  thing 
that  it  suggests  and  another  thing  suggested  by  the 

65 


Child  Training 

second  association,  and  so  on.  Then  ask  him  to  give 
the  last  step  reached,  leaving  out  the  intermediate  steps. 
He  should  then  explain  by  tracing  his  thoughts  back- 
wards how  he  came  to  think  of  what  he  did.  For 
instance,  a  child  might  say,  "  Blue  —  a  tree  that  was 
struck  by  lightning,"  and  explain  that  blue  suggested 
sky ;  sky,  clouds ;  clouds,  storm ;  storm,  lightning ;  and 
lightning  the  tree  that  was  struck  by  it.  Oftentimes 
an  association  is  so  instantaneous,  that  it  is  difficult 
to  trace  it  back  to  its  starting  point. 

Repeat  the  previous  exercise,  using  any  object  or 
topic  as  a  starting  point.  Anything  at  all  will  do, — 
the  window,  pins  and  needles,  a  boat,  dreams,  an  or- 
ange, moving  pictures,  excuses.  Have  the  children 
practise  association,  especially  at  the  conversation 
period,  making  as  wide  and  varied  mental  associations 
as  they  can,  but  of  that  number  selecting  only  those  as- 
sociations that  are  of  interest  for  telling. 

79.  Riming 

Association 

This  and  the  following  exercise  seem  particularly  to 
delight  the  heart  of  the  child.  It  is  just  as  well,  there- 
fore, to  let  him  try  riming  and  punning  even  though 
both  sound  execrable  to  an  older  person. 

Suggest  one  line  —  a  sentence  or  phrase  —  and  have 
each  child  in  turn  originate  a  line  to  rime  with  it,  thus 
for  example : 

66 


Habit  Drills — Association 

Teacher  says:     "  I 'm  the  boy." 
Child,  after  thinking  a  moment  and  trying  over  a 
number  of  rimes  says : 
"  Who  broke  the  toy." 

Teacher,  to  next  child :     "  There  was  a  girl." 
Child  :     "  Who  had  a  curl." 
Teacher :     "  In  a  house." 
Child :     "  There  lived  a  mouse." 

80.  Punning 

Association 

Say  a  sentence  in  which  a  word  is  used  that  has  a 
double  meaning  and  have  each  child  in  turn  notice  the 
word  and  use  it  in  another  sentence  and  in  another 
sense. 

Following  is  a  list  of  some  words  that  may  be  so 
used: 

Flour,  flower.  So,  sew.  Pail,  pale.  Stair,  stare. 
Week,  weak.     Ate,  eight.     Know,  no.     Knows,  nose. 

Be,     bee.     New,     knew.     Blue,     blew.     Pair,  pear. 

Hear,    here.     One,    won.     Red,    read.     Heal,  heel. 

Cent,  sent.  I,  eye.  Son,  sun.  See,  sea.  Hole, 
whole.     Through,  threw,  etc. 

81.  Conundrums 
Ask  the  child  the  following  conundrums  and  riddles 
and  make  sure  he  understands  the  answers  and  sees 
their  point. 

67 


Child  Training 

When  are  cooks  cruel  ?  Ans.  When  they  beat  eggs 
and  whip  cream. 

What  key  is  the  hardest  to  turn?  Ans.  A  don- 
key. 

Why  do  you  always  put  on  your  left  shoe  last  ?  Ans. 
Because  the  last  one  is  the  left  one. 

What  is  black  and  white  and  red  (read)  all  over? 
Ans.     The  newspaper. 

What  animal  carries  luggage  ?  Ans.  The  elephant 
carries  a  trunk. 

Riddles 

What  are  the  following? 

What  is  full  of  holes  and  yet  holds  water? 

Ans.     A  sponge. 

"  Thirty  white  horses  on  a  red  hill, 
Now  they  tramp,  now  they  champ,  now  they  stand 
still." 
Ans.     Teeth. 

"  Old  Mother  Twitchett  had  but  one  eye, 
And  a  long  tail  which  she  let  fly ; 
And  every  time  she  went  through  a  gap, 
A  bit  of  her  tail  she  left  in  a  trap." 
Ans.     A  needle  and  thread. 

"  As  round  as  an  apple, 
As  deep  as  a  cup; 
68 


Habit  Drills — Association 

And  all  the  King's  horses 
Can  not  pull  it  up." 
Ans.     A  well. 

**  Humpty  Dumpty  sat  on  a  wall ; 
Humpty  Dumpty  had  a  great  fall; 
Not  all  the  king's  horses,  nor  all  the  king's  men 
Could  set  Humpty  Dumpty  together  again." 
Ans.     An  tgg. 

82.   Two  Minute  Conversation 
Association,  Attention,  Concentration 

Using  the  second  hand  of  an  ordinary  watch,  give  a 
child  a  subject  and  have  him  start  on  the  instant  to  talk 
about  it,  not  stopping  till  "  time  "  is  called  at  the  end 
of  two  minutes.  A  pause  of  any  noticeable  extent, 
more  than  is  natural  at  the  end  of  a  sentence  or  to  take 
breath  counts  as  failure.  For  instance,  the  topic  given 
might  have  been  "  Breakfast."  Instantly  the  child 
might  say, 

"  I  was  late  to  breakfast  this  morning  (and  then 
continue  on  the  associated  line  of  thought),  my  nurse 
did  not  call  me  in  time,  she  overslept,"  etc. 


69 


IMAGINATION  DRILLS 

Imagination  has  been  called  the  supreme  intellectual 
faculty,  for  it  plays  a  most  important  part  in  the  prac- 
tical as  well  as  in  the  esthetic  life.  Genius  has  been 
defined  as  the  ability  to  imagine  things  that  do  not  exist 
and  wit  is  nothing  but  unexpected  flashes  of  the  imag- 
ination in  seeing  associations  that  are  not  obvious. 
The  inventor,  the  discoverer,  the  originator  must  have 
imagination,  the  author  and  the  poet,  the  painter  and 
the  musician  must  have  imagination,  and  if  we  are 
ever  to  enjoy  life  and  literature  and  art  and  music  and 
the  "  works  of  the  imagination  "  we  must  have  it  also. 
Accordingly,  if  the  child  in  later  life  is  to  find  "  tongues 
in  trees,  books  in  the  running  brooks,  sermons  in 
stones,"  he  must  make  an  early  beginning. 

The  child's  imaginative  plays  and  fanciful  stories 
will  assist  the  growth  of  this  faculty,  but  it  should  also 
be  developed  by  encouraging  the  child  in  his  make-be- 
lieve. Let  him  fancy  his  apple  sauce  is  ice  cream,  his 
bread,  cake  and  his  glass  of  water,  lemonade.  Let  him 
imagine  the  butterflies  are  sprites  and  that  Jack-in-the- 
Pulpit  is  preaching  to  the  elfin  Johnny-jump-ups. 

But  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  child  recog- 
nizes his  make-believe  as  make-believe,  and  that  it  is 

70 


Habit  Drills — Imagination 

not  confounded  with  reality.  This  confusion  often 
leads  children  into  story  telling  with  the  idea  to  deceive. 
Children  need  not  be  discouraged  in  their  romancing 
but  they  should  be  taught  to  offer  their  fairy  tales  as 
fairy  tales  and  not  as  deceptions.  Furthermore,  they 
should  return  at  once  to  the  serious  actualities  at  hand 
the  moment  they  are  required,  for  an  unrestrained  im- 
agination may  lead  to  very  serious  consequences. 
With  this  warning  sounded,  however,  healthy  imagina- 
tion may  prove  of  the  greatest  value. 

83.  Describing  Imaginary  Scene 

Have  a  child  go  to  the  window  and  from  that  posi- 
tion give  the  class  an  account  of  what,  in  imagination, 
he  sees  there,  for  example,  a  circus  parade.  Pass  a 
book  or  a  newspaper  round  the  class  and  give  each  child 
in  turn  a  few  minutes  to  "  read  "  an  imaginary  story 
from  it  or  describe  an  imaginary  picture. 

84.  Make  Believe 

Ask  the  children  to  "  make  believe "  that  cer- 
tain things  you  are  going  to  suggest  are  happening,  and 
ask  them  to  act  accordingly.  Then  say,  "  Make  believe 
it 's  cold,"  or  "  Act  as  if  it  were  freezing."  The 
children  might  then  turn  up  their  collars,  draw  their 
heads  dnwn  into  their  coats,  put  their  hands  over  their 
ears,  blow  on  their  fingers,  shiver,  etc. 

Then  make  such  suggestions,  as. 


Child  Training 

It 's  hot, 
It 's  windy, 
It  's  raining, 

It 's  snowing,  etc.,  and  have  them  act  as  they  might 
under  such  circumstances. 


J2 


ATTENTION  AND  CONCENTRATION  DRILLS 

Many  of  the  previous  drills  are  also  exercises  in  at- 
tention and  concentration.  A  few  special  exercises, 
however,  are  particularly  devised  for  forming  this  most 
important  habit. 

As  explained  in  the  General  Instructions,  concentra- 
tion is  best  obtained  by  demanding  speed,  setting  a 
time  limit,  and  making  all  tasks  "  piece  work." 

When,  however,  there  is  interest,  attention  and  con- 
centration follow.  Certain  interesting  drills  requir- 
ing attention  and  concentration  are  here  given,  there- 
fore, so  as  to  form  the  habit. 

85.   Threading  the  Needle 

Give  each  child  half  a  dozen  needles  and  as  many 
pieces  of  thread  and  have  the  class  start  on  signal  and 
see  which  is  first  to  finish  threading  his  needles. 

86.  "  Jack  Strazvs  " 

Have  the  children  play  at  jack  straws.  Call  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  that  breathing  is  a  motion  of  the  body 
which  is  observable  even  in  the  finger-tips  and  as  there 
must  be  no  motion  in  this  game,  other  than  the  inten- 
tional one,  it  is  necessary  for  each  child  to  hold  his 
breath  while  detaching  a  "  straw  "  from  the  pile.    Even 

71 


Child  Training 

the  beating  of  the  heart  may  be  perceptible  in  the 
fingers,  but  of  course,  this  is  uncontrollable. 

^y.  Dropping  Medicine 

Teach  the  children  to  drop  medicine  out  of  a  bottle. 
The  throat  of  the  bottle  must  first  be  wet  with  the 
liquid,  either  by  pouring  some  out  first  or  pouring  it  as 
far  as  the  edge,  stopping  it  there  with  the  cork.  The 
liquid  should  then  be  dropped  without  the  aid  of  the 
cork,  and  each  child  directed  to  drop  a  certain  number 
of  drops,  three,  five,  six,  etc. 

88.   Untangling  a  Snarl 

Give  each  child  a  piece  of  rope  or  heavy  twine  that 
has  been  purposely  knotted,  tied  and  snarled  and  have 
him  unravel  it,  as  promptly  as  possible. 

89.  Rapid  Copying  Mid  Distractions 

No  matter  how  well  a  person  can  concentrate,  tests 
show  that  he  can  always  work  more  efficiently  when 
free  from  distractions.  The  best  conditions,  there- 
fore, for  study  or  any  work  requiring  concentration 
are  those  that  are  removed  from  all  noise  and  free 
from  interruption.  But  though  concentration  is  best 
obtained  in  quiet  and  undisturbed  surroundings  it  is 
best  taught  mid  distractions. 

For  this  exercise  divide  the  class  in  half.  Allow 
one-half  to  play  and  talk  as  they  please,  thus  provid- 

74 


Habit  Drills — Attention 

ing  an  actively  distracting  element,  while  the  other 
half  of  the  class  is  practising  attention  and  concen- 
tration. Standing  before  this  half  of  the  class,  go 
through  various  motions  and  have  the  children  copy 
promptly  and  accurately  without  any  oral  direction. 
Thus :  Look  down,  up,  to  one  side ;  place  your  finger 
on  your  forehead,  ear,  mouth  and  other  parts  of  the 
body;  point  to  the  corner  of  the  room,  put  your  arms 
akimbo,  and  so  on,  in  as  rapid  succession  as  possible, 
not  giving  an  opportunity  for  the  child's  attention  to 
wander  if  he  follows  your  lead.  Then  take  the  other 
half  of  the  class  in  the  same  way. 

90.  Answering  Three  Questions 

Ask  each  child  in  turn  two  unlike  questions  and 
have  him  answer  them  after  both  have  been  asked. 
Starting  with  but  two  simple  questions  increase  the 
number  and  the  complexity  of  the  questions,  thus: 

Teacher  says,  "  I  'm  going  to  ask  you  three  ques- 
tions but  I  don't  w^ant  you  to  answer  them  till  I  have 
finished  asking  all  three.  Then  I  want  you  to  an- 
swer each  question  in  the  order  in  which  it  was  asked. 
Now  listen! 

"What  color  is  this?"  (She  holds  up  a  piece  of 
ribbon.) 

"  What  is  that?  "     (She  points  to  a  picture.) 

"Do  you  like  milk?" 

The  child  should  then  answer, 

75 


Child  Training 

"  That  is  red." 

"  That  is  a  picture." 

"  Yes,  I  like  milk." 

91.  "  Stage  Coach  " 

Give  each  child  a  word,  such  as  driver,  whip,  horses, 
wheel,  door,  etc.,  then  tell  a  story  in  which  you  use 
these  words.  Every  time  you  mention  a  word  which 
a  child  has  been  given,  that  child  is  to  stand  up,  turn 
round,  and  sit  down  and  every  time  the  word  Stage 
Coach  is  mentioned  all  the  children  are  to  stand  up, 
turn  round  and  sit  down.  Thus,  after  explaining 
what  is  to  be  done,  as  above,  the  teacher  starts  out, 

"  Once  upon  a  time  a  man  started  off  on  a  long 
journey  in  a  Stage  Coach.  (Every  child  at  the 
word  stage  coach,  should  jump  up,  turn  round  and  sit 
down.  The  teacher,  however,  proceeds  without  paus- 
ing.) The  Driver  (here  the  child  given  the  word 
driver,  jumps  up,  turns  round,  sits  down)  cracked  his 
Whip  and  the  Horses  started  off  at  a  trot — "  and 
so  on,  till  the  stage  coach  runs  into  a  ditch  and  turns 
over. 

In  the  same  way  any  other  group  of  words  can  be 
taken,  such  as  house,  window,  door,  stairs,  chimney, 
ladder,  etc.,  and  a  story  be  told  of  a  house  on  fire. 


76 


Habit  Drills — Attention 

92.  Continuing  a  Story 

Start  telling  a  story  and  when  the  plot  is  partly 
developed  stop  and  ask  a  child  to  supply  what  you 
omit  and  continue  with  the  narrative,   for  example: 

Teacher  says:  "Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a 
little  boy  whose  name  was — " 

Child :  "Jim." 

Teacher  resumes:  "And  he  was  just  like  all  other 

little  boys  except  for  one  thing;  he  had  what 

do  you  suppose?" 

Child:  "Wings." 

Teacher:  "No.  He  had  ears  that  were  so  pointed 
that  they  looked  like  little  horns.  And  his  mother 
was  ashamed  of  them  and  let  his  hair  grow  long  to 
cover  them  up.  Now  one  day  as  she  was  looking  out 
of  the  window  she  saw  to  her  amazement  in  the 
garden " 

Child  (and  so  on). 

93.  Naming  a  Flower 

Point  to  a  child  and  say  "Flower";  then  immedi- 
ately start  to  count  "i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,"  trying  to  reach 
10  before  the  child  called  upon  has  time  to  give 
the  name  of  some  fiower.  Vary  this  by  saying, 
"Tree,"  "Vegetable,"  "Fruit,"  "Bird,"  etc. 


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Child  Training 

94.  Reciting  a  Poem  and  Counting  Taps 

Call  upon  a  child  to  recite  a  poem  that  he  knows  while 
during  the  recital  you  tap.  When  he  has  finished  ask 
him  how  many  times  you  tapped. 

95.  "  Philopena  " —  Give  and  Take 

Have  pairs  of  children  "  eat  a  philopena."  Each 
pair  link  arms  and  eat  a  half  peanut,  or  crumb  of 
bread  or  anything  by  way  of  ceremony  in  forming  a 

compact,  saying  "  Give  and  Take  for  ,"  naming 

some  forfeit,  if  there  is  to  be  one.  After  this,  neither 
child  must  take  anything  handed  him  by  the  other. 
Each  tries  to  hand  the  other  something  when  off-guard 
—  that  is,  not  paying  attention  —  and  if  it  is  taken, 
the  one  offering  says  "  Philopena  "  and  wins  the  for- 
feit agreed  upon. 

96.  "  Philopena  " —  Yes  and  No 

Have  pairs  of  children  do  as  described  above,  but  say 
"  Yes  and  No,"  instead  of  "  Give  and  Take."  Each 
child  then  strives  by  skilful  questioning  to  surprise  the 
other  into  saying  "  Yes  "  or  "  No." 

97.  Memorizing 

Dictate  a  verse  of  a  poem  slowly  and  distinctly  (use 
those  given  under  Rhythmic  Arts)  ;  repeat  it  a  sec- 
ond time  and  ask  a  child  to  say  it  when  you  have  fin- 

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Habit  Drills — Attention 

ished.  With  practice  of  this  sort,  children  will  learn 
to  say  a  stanza  of  several  lines  in  length,  after  having 
heard  it  only  once  or  twice. 

98.  Repeating  List  of  Words 

Tell  the  children  you  are  going  to  name  a  number 
of  different  things  and  that  you  want  to  see  who  can 
repeat  the  entire  list  in  the  order  given  without  a  mis- 
take. Then,  at  the  signal  "  Attention,"  name  the  fol- 
lowing or  a  similar  list  of  words  between  which  there 
is  some  association,  calling  each  word  twice  distinctly 
and  slowly,  thus:  House,  door;  door,  street;  street, 
wagon ;  wagon,  horse ;  horse,  dog ;  dog,  man ;  man,  bed  ; 
bed,  night ;  night,  Christmas ;  Christmas,  drum ;  drum, 
noise;  noise,  steam  cars;  steam  cars,  smoke;  smoke, 
dirt;  dirt,  soap;  soap,  water;  water,  milk;  milk,  cow; 
cow^  tree;  tree,  birds;  and  so  on.  Then  ask  a  child 
to  repeat  the  list.  This  may  seem  more  difficult  than 
it  really  is.  A  child  who  has  paid  attention  (they  will 
oftentimes  unconsciously  close  their  eyes  in  order  to 
concentrate)  will  usually  be  able  to  repeat  a  list  of  this 
sort  of  almost  indefinite  length. 

99.  Hearing  Simultaneous  Orders 

Have  two  pupils  start  on  signal  and  each  give  simul- 
taneously a  different  order  to  a  single  child  previously 
selected  for  the  drill.  The  child  is  then  to  executd 
both  orders  without  further  question. 

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Child  Training 

lOO.  Speaking  and  Listening  Simultaneously 

Ask  each  child  to  get  a  short  statement  or  piece  of 
news  ready  in  his  mind,  something  to  tell  his  next 
neighbor,  not  more  than  a  sentence  in  length,  such  as, 

To-morrow  is  Thursday, 
It  is  a  pleasant  day, 
I  am  five  years  old. 

Have  the  children  seated  in  a  circle  or  round  a  table, 
then  at  the  signal,  "  Now "  have  every  child  simul- 
taneously speak  to  his  right-hand  neighbor  in  an  or- 
dinary conversational  tone,  the  statement  he  has  pre- 
pared, at  the  same  time  listening  to  what  his  left  hand 
neighbor  is  saying  to  him.  There  should  be  no  rep- 
etition, but  when  finished,  each  in  turn,  as  called  upon 
by  teacher,  should  repeat  what  his  left  hand  neighbor 
said  to  him  and  verify  the  statement. 


80 


FURTHER  HABIT  DRILLS 

The  preceding  drills  are  not  by  any  means  exhaust- 
ive but  every  teacher  or  parent  who  has  gone  through 
these  should  have  so  imbibed  their  spirit  as  to  be  ready 
to  vary  or  extend  them,  or  to  originate  other  drills  to 
suit  the  needs  of  her  own  particular  case. 

Many  habits  are  also  formed  by  the  activities  pre- 
scribed for  the  following  periods.  For  example,  habits 
of  courtesy,  unselfishness,  etc.,  are  formed  by  Social 
Training;  industry,  accuracy,  concentration,  etc.,  by 
Manual  Training  and  so  on. 

One  of  the  most  valuable  of  all  habits  —  the  habit 
of  initiative  —  must  be  inculcated  not  by  infrequent 
drills,  but  by  daily  calling  upon  the  child  to  suggest 
something,  start  something,  do  something,  without  the 
teacher  specifying  what  or  how.  For  this  purpose  it 
is  best  to  call  upon  the  children  at  the  free  play,  man- 
ual training,  rhythmic  art  or  other  period  and  especially 
upon  those  that  are  prone  to  copy  and  constantly  wait 
for  others  to  make  a  start  or  take  the  lead. 

Certain  habits  by  their  very  nature  cannot  be  staged 
for  practice  but  must  be  inculcated  as  the  occasion 
arises.  For  instance,  we  cannot  train  a  child  in  self-con- 
trol under  circumstances  such  as  fear,  because  it  would 

8i 


Child  Training 

be  manifestly  improper  to  cause  him  terror  for  the  pur- 
pose of  practising  him  in  self-control.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  perfectly  feasible  to  drill  the  child  in  cour- 
age and  fortitude  by  causing  him  bodily  pain  with  the 
purpose  of  seeing  how  much  he  can  stand  without  a 
whimper.  This  Spartan-like  drill  is  not  so  cruel  as  it 
sounds  and  the  idea  comes  from  the  children  them- 
selves. I  have  known  children  to  say,  "  You  can't 
hurt  me  "  and  offer  their  arms  for  pinching,  their  hair 
for  pulling,  on  the  wager  that  they  could  not  be  made 
to  cry  out.  Tests  of  this  sort  that  work  no  bodily 
injury  might  be  of  great  value  in  teaching  courage  and 
scorn  of  minor  aches  and  pains  and  might  develop  a 
spirit  that  not  only  should  stand  the  child  in  good 
stead  throughout  life,  but  should  smooth  the  domestic 
way  for  the  whole  family. 

In  order  to  prevent  any  danger  that  might  arise  from 
over  habituation  as  described  under  "  Breaking  of 
Habits,"  it  is  well  occasionally  to  act  as  follows: 

Alter  the  program  so  as  to  exchange  periods,  for 
instance,  story  telling  for  manual  training  or  give  les- 
sons at  a  different  time  of  day. 

Vary  the  sequence  of  exercises  or  the  forms  or  man- 
ner of  execution. 

Give  drills  and  exercises  in  a  different  room 
or  different  setting  from  usual. 

Let  a  visitor  or  substitute  give  a  lesson  or  a  whole 
day's  program. 

82 


Vhotograpli  by  uaclirach 


SOCIAL  TRAINING 
"Introducing" — Teaching  common   courtesies 


PART  II 
SOCIAL  TRAINING 

We  learn  more  from  intercourse  with  our  fellows 
than  we  do  from  any  other  one  source.  We  receive 
information  from  them;  we  acquire  both  their  good 
and  bad  traits  and  manners,  by  conscious  and  uncon- 
scious imitation ;  we  learn  to  bear  and  forbear ;  we  are 
forced  to  react  upon  their  stimulus ;  in  sheer  self-de- 
fense we  are  roused  into  mental  activity  by  fear  of 
chagrin  or  shame  at  being  outdone;  we  are  put  upon 
our  mettle  to  keep  the  pace. 

It  is  for  these  reasons  that  the  association  of  other 
children  is  so  desirable,  it  stimulates  reaction. 

A  man  may  walk  alone  and  dreaming  down  a  side 
street,  but  when  he  comes  to  the  teeming  crowds  of 
Broadway  he  must  quickly  come  to  attention  and  be  on 
the  alert,  else  he  will  have  his  pocket  picked,  be  jostled 
out  of  his  course,  have  his  way  blocked,  miss  his 
car,  be  run  over  by  a  cab.  The  newsboy's  proverbial 
cleverness  and  general  alertness  is  derived  from  the 
crowd,  the  result  of  dodging  vehicles,  watching  for 
signals  for  papers,  outwitting  his  competitors. 

Social  intercourse  raises  a  host  of  situations  which 

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Child  Training 

the  child  should  learn  how  to  meet  and  deal  with,  in 
order  that  he  may  get  the  most  from  that  intercourse. 

If  a  regular  program  is  observed  each  day  with  a 
fixed  time  for  beginning  the  class,  show  children  the 
position  of  the  hands  of  the  clock  at  the  hour  for 
commencing  and  tell  them  that  they  are  to  watch  the 
clock  for  that  time  and  precisely  at  that  hour,  with- 
out signal  from  their  teacher,  they  must  be  in  seats 
grouped  in  an  irregular  —  not  too  precise  —  circle,  as 
for  a  simple  gathering.  Children  should  not  occupy 
the  same  position  every  day  but  arrange  themselves  ac- 
cording to  personal  choice,  with  due  regard  for  the 
preferences  of  others,  yielding  to  such  preferences  and 
endeavoring  to  favor  others,  as  in  special  gatherings 
of  grown-ups,  rather  than  insisting  on  their  own. 
These  points  are  to  be  insistently  drilled  upon  daily 
at  this  occasion  till  they  become  fixed  daily  habits. 

Children  on  arriving  or  coming  down  stairs  for  the 
first  time  in  the  day  should  greet  parents,  teachers  and 
other  children  with,  "  Good  Morning,"  and  add  some 
solicitous  inquiry,  cordial  wish  or  gracious  remark. 

Teach  them  the  common  forms  and  varieties,  such 
as:  "  How  are  you  to-day?  "  "  I  hope  you  are  feel- 
ing better."  "  Is  n't  this  a  lovely  day  ?  "  etc.,  and  sug- 
gest that  they  originate  others,  not  stereotyped,  to  suit 
occasions.  Don't  let  them  omit  this  or  be  contented 
with  the  mere  "  Good  Morning,"  till  the  habit  is  firmly 
fixed.     A  child  who  has  acquired  even  this  habit  is  al- 

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Social  Training 

ready  at  an  advantage  and  has  learned  a  valuable  les- 
son that  is  usually  left  to  be  picked  up,  if  at  all,  much 
later  in  life. 

Any  late  comer  should  go  at  once  to  the  hostess  — 
the  teacher  —  and  apologize  for  being  late,  as  for  an 
adult  dinner  party  or  other  function  where  prompt- 
ness is  expected. 

At  the  hour  for  beginning,  the  children  should  rise 
from  seats,  bow  their  heads  in  attitudes  of  reverence 
and  recite,  ensemble  after  the  teacher  the  Lord's 
Prayer  or  some  other  classic  prayer.  By  her  attitude 
and  suggestions  rather  than  by  explanation  she  should 
inspire  in  the  children  feelings  of  reverence,  humility 
and  awe  for  the  big,  majestic,  sublime  mysteries  of  the 
universe.  She  will  be  successful  if  she  can,  for  a  few 
minutes,  raise  them  to  the  heights  above  the  trivial 
and  petty. 

Each  child  in  turn,  as  a  special  privilege,  should 
be  allowed  to  select  and  lead  the  prayer,  but  the 
teacher  should  surrender  the  function  of  priestess, 
which  is  hers  by  right,  only  with  great  care.  On 
ending  the  prayer  the  children  should  then  in  the  same 
spirit  sing  a  Te  Deum,  Gloria  in  Excelsis,  Laudate 
Domini,  or  similar  hymn  of  praise,  something  big  — 
nothing  denominational,  sentimental  or  episodic. 

After  the  opening  ritual  the  remainder  of  the  pe- 
riod should  be  taken  up  with  drills  in  common  cour- 
tesies and  general  conversation. 

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Child  Training 

COMMON  COURTESIES 

Some  of  the  common  courtesies  that  are  usually 
considered  a  sign  of  good  breeding  when  found  in 
children  are  mentioned  below.  They  are  obvious 
"  good  manners  "  but  often  their  absence  is  excused  in 
a  child,  or  not  even  noted,  because  he  is  a  child.  On 
the  other  hand,  for  that  very  reason,  they  are  all  the 
more  conspicuously  pleasing  when  exhibited  by  a  child. 
Formal  drills  as  with  habit  drills  can  be  given  for  each 
of  these  courtesies,  without  waiting  for  the  occasion 
or  opportunity  to  arise. 

1.  One  should  always  knock  and  wait  for  a  re- 
sponding "  Come  in,"  before  entering  any  closed 
door.  In  order  to  drill  in  this,  send  each  child  out 
of  the  room,  have  him  knock  and  tell  him  to  *'  Come 
in." 

2.  Children  should  be  careful  not  to  pass  in  front 
of  any  one,  unless  compelled  by  circumstances  to  do 
so,  when  they  should  say,  "  Excuse  me  "  or  "  I  beg 
your  pardon."  Send  each  child  across  the  room  to 
fetch  or  carry  something  so  that  his  direct  path  passes 
in  front  of  others  and  he  must  therefore  go  around  or 
say,  "  I  beg  your  pardon." 

3.  Boys  should  rise  from  their  seats  at  the  approach 
of  their  teacher,  an  older  person,  or  one  of  their  own 
number,  if  a  girl.  Practise  this  and  the  following 
courtesies  by  creating  the  situation  described. 

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Social  Training 

4.  Boys  should  wait  for  girls  to  be  seated  before 
sitting  down  themselves. 

5.  Boys  when  going  through  a  door  should  wait 
for  girls  or  older  persons  to  pass  through  first, 

6.  A  boy  should  offer  his  own  chair  to  the  teacher 
or  to  a  girl,  it  there  are  no  chairs  nearby  and  fetch 
others  if  needed. 

7.  A  boy  should  pick  up  anything  dropped  by  a  girl 
and  offer  her  assistance  whenever  there  is  an  oppor- 
tunity. 

8.  Each  child  by  act  or  word  should  show  regard 
for  the  desires,  preferences  and  happiness  of  the 
others. 

9.  All  the  children  should  be  most  careful  to  ac- 
knowledge any  courtesy  extended  with  a  "  thank  you." 

10.  They  should  never  interrupt,  or  ask  a  question 
of  two  people  who  are  conversing,  but  wait  till  they 
are  finished. 

11.  They  should  also  practise  introducing  one  an- 
other, using  the  simplest  forms,  for  example: 

A ,  do  you  know  B ? 

A ,  I  want  you  to  meet  (or  know)  B . 

A ,  I  want  to  introduce  B . 

12.  They  should  be  sure  to  say  good-by  when  leav- 
ing and  by  way  of  parting,  express  their  thanks,  plea- 
sure or  appreciation. 

The  above  are  some  of  the  common  occurrences  of 
every  day  life  and  should  not  be  left  to  untrained  in- 

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Child  Training 

stinct  or  to  an  occasional  chance  direction,  but  should 
be  taught  the  child  —  by  constant  drill,  if  neces- 
sary. 

At  the  child's  own  meals  he  should  of  course  be 
drilled  in  proper  table  manners  but  if  a  light  luncheon 
is  served  to  the  group  of  children  there  is  an  added 
opportunity  to  practise  the  child  in  table  courtesies  and 
habits.  The  most  important  rules  to  have  him  ob- 
serve are  the  following : 

Wait  for  all  to  be  seated. 

Help  others  first. 

Anticipate  wants  and  pass  food. 

Eat  and  drink  noiselessly  and  cleanly. 

Chew  thoroughly. 

Eat  without  haste  or  greed. 

CONVERSATION 

The  whole  class  should  then  form  a  single  group 
for  conversation,  or  divide  into  two  groups,  if  too 
large  for  all  to  participate,  in  which  the  usual  con- 
versational rules  should  be  strictly  observed.  Raising 
of  hands,  as  in  school,  should  have  no  place  what- 
ever. 

Conversation  is  one  of  the  chief  distinctive  attributes 
of  human  beings  and  from  it  perhaps  more  is  learned 
—  language,  ideas,  information  —  than  from  all  other 
sources  of  knowledge  put  together. 


go 


Social  Training 

Topics  of  Conversation 

Weather.  The  commonest  of  all  topics  of  conversa- 
tion, the  weather,  may  well  be  the  first  subject  of  the 
morning.  To  a  child  the  subject  is  not  banal  as  for  an 
adult,  and  it  does  promote  observation  and  comparison 
of  the  seasons,  changes  and  meteorological  conditions, 
a  knowledge  of  the  calendar,  etc.  This  subject,  there- 
fore, the  teacher  by  general  consent,  should  start,  ask- 
ing, first  of  all,  the  day  of  the  week  and  later,  when 
taus:ht,  of  the  month  —  then  what  the  weather  is  and 
the  probabilities. 

Timely  Topics.  After  the  weather,  seasonable  and 
timely  topics  should  be  discussed.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  month  the  teacher  should  introduce  into  the  conver- 
sation a  discussion  of  the  characteristics  of  the  season, 
the  holidays  or  festivals  to  be  celebrated,  the  events 
scheduled  to  take  place,  preparation  to  be  made  (  fore- 
sight), etc.  Each  of  these  should  again  form  the  topic 
of  conversation  as  they  occur,  the  teacher  explaining 
their  significance  or  supplying  the  historic  or  legendary 
information  associated  with  their  observance. 

Generalities.  After  the  weather  and  seasonable  and 
timely  topics,  which  should  always  be  the  first  order 
of  the  day,  the  conversation  should  be  general  —  of 
personal  happenings,  news,  observations,  questions, 
opinions,  and  this  is  the  time  for  each  pupil  to  contrib- 
ute his  one  mite  of  interest  or  information  sought  for 

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Child  Training 

and  prepared,  as  hereafter  directed  —  under  rule  4. 
Here  the  teacher's  part  should  be  almost  exclusively 
that  of  a  trainer  —  seeing  to  it  that  all  the  rules  of 
conversation  are  vigorously  followed,  but  seldom 
should  she  enter  the  conversation,  except  on  equal  terms 
with  the  pupils. 

Information.  After  such  general  topics  the  teacher 
may  give  the  information  as  planned  in  the  chapter 
on  that  subject,  if  after  experiment  it  seems  a  better 
arrangement  than  to  devote  a  separate  period  to  it. 

Opinions.  At  the  end  of  the  Conversational  Period 
some  time  should  be  devoted  daily  to  exacting  opinions 
in  regard  to  the  matters  that  have  been  touched  upon. 
This  is  an  extremely  valuable  exercise,  not  only  at  this 
period  but  at  table  and  other  times,  as  it  forces  the 
lazy  minded  child  into  mental  activity.  It  can  be  used 
to  advantage  with  children  of  all  ages. 

To  exact  opinions,  ask  each  child  in  turn  a  question 
requiring  an  expression  of  an  opinion  and  then  his 
reason  for  holding  it  —  such  questions  as : 

"Which  do  you  like?" 

"How  do  you  like  it?" 

"Why  do  you  like  it?" 

It  is  extremely  difficult  at  first  to  get  any  answer 
to  the  "  why  "  question  other  than  "  because,"  or  "  be- 
cause I  do,"  but  the  teacher  should  persist  till  the 
child  has  hunted  about  in  his  mind  and  made  an  effort 
to  find  the  grounds  for  his  opinion,  for  this  is  the  ob- 

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Social  Training 

ject  of  the  question  —  to  stir  up  thought,  to  overcome 
mental  inertia  and  to  form  a  habit  that  will  be  of  great 
mental  benefit. 

Rules  of  Conversation. 

The  following  are  the  most  valuable  conversational 
habits  to  be  acquired.     Children  who  have  been  drilled 

—  and  by  drilled  is  meant  habituated  by  daily  practice 

—  to  observe  the  canons  of  conversation,  will  be  at  a 
tremendous  advantage  at  the  very  start  in  their  daily 
intercourse.  At  home  the  general  rule  — "  Children 
should  be  seen  and  not  heard  " —  and  "  Children  should 
speak  only  when  spoken  to  " —  and  later  merely  cor- 
rective injunctions  as  to  what  not  to  say,  when  not, 
and  how  not,  turn  a  child  out  into  the  world  without 
practice,  without  conversational  habits  and  leave  him 
to  learn  his  lesson  by  inadequate  and  often  costly  ex- 
perience. 

As  a  rule,  the  teacher  should  take  no  part  in  the 
conversation  unless  she  cannot  help  it.  The  chil- 
dren should  converse  with  each  other  —  not  with  the 
teacher.  Her  business  is  to  stand  ever  ready  and 
watchful  to  correct,  direct  and  show  how  —  that  is 
all,  but  this  oversight  is  very  exacting,  for  it  requires 
the  strictest  attention  to  the  remarks  and  attitude  of 
every  child. 

The  teacher  should  be  given  the  preference  in  con- 
trolling the  trend  of  the  conversation,  in  having  th# 

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Child  Training 

first  and  last  word,  but  the  children  should  converse 
among  themselves.  After  the  proper  conversational 
habits  have  been  formed  the  teacher  should  even  with- 
draw from  the  group  and  busy  herself  about  other 
matters,  or  watch  the  children  as  an  onlooker,  though 
remaining  within  ear  shot,  in  case  her  presence  should 
be  needed.  Her  business  is  to  see  that  the  children 
observe  the  following  rules  and  practise  them  till 
they  become  habits. 

1.  Speak  only  when  no  one  else  is  talking,  never 
break  in  when  another  is  speaking. 

2.  Give  others  a  chance,  do  not  monopolize  the  con- 
versation when  once  in  hand,  do  not  speak  more  than 
once  when  others  are  anxious  for  an  opportunity  to 
speak. 

3.  Eliminate  the  irrelevant  or  tedious  and  keep  still 
otherwise. 

4.  Say  something  when  there  is  an  awkward  silence. 
Get  the  silent  ones  into  the  conversation  by  a  direct 
question  or  appeal  to  them. 

5.  Pay  attention  to  the  remarks  of  others  and  con- 
tinue them  or  answer  them  without  contradiction. 

6.  Observe  the  proprieties  in  making  remarks  or 
asking  questions. 

7.  Be  truthful. 

8.  Use  courteous  terms  and  manner  of  address. 
These  various  conversational  rules  are  so  important 

that  it  is  well  to  consider  some  of  them  separately. 

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Social  Training 

Any  child  is  quick  to  see  and  appreciate  the  vahdity  of 
all  the  conversational  rules  and,  of  course,  their  reason 
for  being  so  should  be  explained  —  once  —  but  it  is 
the  habit  forming  drill,  here,  as  everywhere  else  in  this 
training,  that  counts. 

I.  Speak  only  when  no  one  else  —  in  the  same 
group  —  is  talking. 

This  is  one  of  the  hardest  rules  for  an  interested 
child  to  observe  and  every  one  knows  how  com- 
monly necessary  it  is  for  grown-ups  to  say,  "  You 
shouldn't  interrupt,"  "Don't  you  see  I  am  talking?" 
"  Wait  till  I  finish,"  and  yet  the  fault  remains  univer- 
sally unremedied  because  there  is  no  drill  on  this  spe- 
cific point  and  the  occasional  corrections  from  parents 
and  teachers  are  not  sufficient  to  form  a  habit.  A 
parent  will  say,  "  I  've  told  him  a  thousand  times  he 
should  n't  break  in,  that  it  is  the  height  of  bad  man- 
ners." Yes,  but  the  child  has  violated  the  rule  a 
thousand  times  with  his  own  playmates  and  one  more 
than  offsets  the  other,  for  it  is  the  habit  that  must  be 
formed  and  the  habit  cannot  be  formed  when  he  breaks 
the  rule  once,  at  least,  for  every  time  he  observes  it. 
Here  again  the  first  rule  of  habit  forming  must  be 
vigorously  carried  out.  In  all  his  intercourse  he  must 
be  watched  and  never  allowed  to  violate  the  rule,  no, 
not  once,  without  immediate  correction  —  until  the 
habit  is  fixed. 

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Child  Training 

If  two  start  to  speak  at  the  same  time  or  one  inter- 
rupts, thinking  the  other  finished,  he  should,  of  course, 
be  taught  to  say,  "  I  beg  your  pardon.  What  were 
you  going  to  say?  "  Such  a  display  of  good  manners 
will  no  doubt  sound  as  unusual  in  children  as  it  is  com- 
monplace with  grown-ups,  and  yet  it  is  only  what 
should  be  expected  and  is  no  mark  of  precocity  —  in- 
deed, its  lack  is  simply  the  result  of  neglected  train- 
ing. 

2  and  3.     Do  not  monopolize  the  conversation. 

The  garrulous  young  person  is  as  bad  as  the  old. 
Childish  prattle  is  all  right  in  its  place  for  it  serves  a 
purpose  —  practice  in  language  —  but  it  is  out  of  place 
in  general  conversation  and,  therefore,  at  this  period, 
the  prattler  should  be  regularly  and  constantly  sup- 
pressed till  he  has  acquired  the  habit  of  controlling 
his  babble. 

4.  Say  something. 

It  is  good  practice  for  each  child  to  bring  in  just 
one  item  of  interest  or  value  each  day  to  contribute  to 
the  general  fund.  The  gathering  of  a  single  worth 
while  or  interesting  thing  should  be  a  regular  daily  re- 
quirement, a  regular  home  preparation  for  the  conver- 
sational period. 

The  child  accustomed  to  this  requirement  will  be 
habituated  to  going  about  on  the  lookout  for  interest- 
ing and  valuable  subjects  (the  interest  and  value,  of 

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Social  Training 

course,  will  be  comparative,  only  from  the  child's 
point  of  view)  and  this  attitude  once  formed  will  be  a 
most  useful  accomplishment,  and  the  gradual  accumu- 
lation of  conversational  matter  will  prove  an  asset 
that  should  stand  him  in  good  stead  on  other  occasions. 
It  is  said  that  the  apparently  inexhaustible  fund  of 
original  stories,  of  a  man  famous  as  a  raconteur,  was 
gradually  collected  in  this  way,  he  having  formed  the 
habit  of  looking  each  day  for  an  incident  or  situation 
that,  with  possibly  some  elaboration,  he  could  tell  as 
an  interesting  story  at  his  own  home  table. 

5.  Pay  attention  to  the  remarks  of  others. 

The  pupil  should  not  only  pay  attention,  he  should 
show  that  he  is  paying  both  attention  and  interest. 
It  is  a  general  rule  of  the  theater  that  every  one  on 
the  stage  shall  look  at  the  speaker  and  show  by  his 
expression  or  action  that  he  is  appreciating  what  is 
said.  "  Eyes  on  the  speaker  "  is  an  injunction  that 
should,  however,  be  followed  in  spirit  rather  than  too 
literally.  Children,  when  first  endeavoring  to  observe 
this  rule,  are  apt  to  respond  with  military  snap,  turn- 
ing the  head  towards  the  speaker  with  a  jerk,  as  if 
given  the  command  "  Eyes  right,"  "  Eyes  left,"  at 
first  staring  with  exaggerated  emphasis  and  then  al- 
lowing their  attention  to  wander.  Of  course,  it  is 
the  courteous  regard  without  distractions  to  other  per- 
sons or  things  in  the  room  that  is  wanted.     In  the  case 

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Child  Training 

of  a  tete-a-tete,  especially  in  receiving  orders  or  an- 
swering questions,  "  looking  one  squarely  in  the  face  " 
is  the  mark  not  only  of  courtesy  but  frankness. 

When  the  speaker  has  finished  some  question,  reply 
or  comment  is  in  order  to  show  that  his  remark  at  least 
has  not  been  ignored.  To  change  the  subject  abruptly 
is  lacking  in  due  respect.  If  a  child  tells  with  delight 
of  the  arrival  of  kittens  at  home,  the  next  speaker 
should  not  announce  as  a  counter-interest  that  he  is  to 
have  a  birthday  party  next  week.  Rather  he  should 
ask  how  many  kittens  there  are,  what  they  are  like  — 
before  launching  on  the  subject  of  his  own  affairs. 
This  may  seem  a  difficult  lesson  for  a  child  to  learn, 
but  practice,  not  instruction,  will  make  it  second  na- 
ture. 

6.  Observe  the  proprieties  in  making  remarks  or 
asking  questions. 

Children  are  very  prone  to  "  tell  tales  out  of  school," 
to  mention  personal  or  family  affairs,  that  should  be 
confidential;  to  describe  home  economies  or  extrava- 
gancies, family  difficulties  and  even  quarrels,  to  ask 
questions  that  are  inquisitive  or  even  impertinent, 
"  How  much  did  it  cost?  "  or  "  What  makes  your  eyes 
so  red  ?  " 

7.  Speak  the  truth. 

Children  are  naturally  liars  in  the  sense  that  they 
naturally  make  believe.     They  live  in  a  story  book 

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Social  Training 

world,  a  world  of  fiction  and  especially  in  conversa- 
tion, in  the  effort  to  outdo  another,  they  will  frequently 
offer  the  product  of  their  imagination  as  verities.  Do 
not  discourage  their  romancing  but  have  them  offer 
their  fairy  tales  as  fairy  tales,  not  as  deceptions. 

8.  Be  courteous  in  language  and  address. 

If  the  child  asks  a  question,  his  tone  and  manner 
should  be  one  expressing  interest,  not  casual  indiffer- 
ence. If  he  answers  a  question,  his  tone  and  manner 
should  be  courteous  and  cordial. 

The  child  is  apt  to  be  abrupt,  to  call  attention  by 
the  monosyllabic,  "  Say,"  to  contradict  flatly,  to  omit 
"  please,"  to  forget  "  thank  you,"  to  say,  "  yes  "  and 
"  no "  to  elders  without  adding  the  respectful 
Miss or  Mr.  . 

The  child  cannot  be  drilled  too  young  to  say  — 
"Yes,  Miss  Smith,"  "No,  Mr.  Jones;"  "Yes, 
father ;  "  "  No,  Uncle  John."  There  is  no  surer  mark 
of  good  breeding  —  or  the  lack  of  it  —  than  the  invari- 
able use  or  omission  of  such  terms  of  respect  after  these 
monosyllables.  When,  however,  yes  and  no  are  used 
repeatedly,  or  at  frequent  intervals  in  a  conversation, 
monotony  should  be  avoided  by  change  of  expression, 
"  No  indeed,"  "  Yes,  thank  you,"  or  omitted  altogether, 
for  the  sake  of  avoiding  what  might  easily  become 
exasperating  by  too  frequent  repetition. 

"  Whispering  in  company  "  is  most  impolite. 

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Child  Training 

SPEECH 

The  language,  enunciation  and  intonation  of  a  child 
are  formed  almost  entirely  by  example,  by  hearing  and 
use,  by  his  daily  practice  rather  than  by  precept  and 
rule.  No  occasion,  therefore,  is  more  important  than 
the  conversational  period  for  training  him  in  correct 
forms  of  speech,  clear  enunciation  of  the  consonants, 
especially  the  final,  and  proper  intonation.  He  is  too 
young  to  be  told  why  certain  forms  are  grammatically 
incorrect  and  such  explanation  would  be  superfluous, 
but  he  should  be  corrected  whenever  he  uses  the  wrong 
form  and  be  insistently  drilled  in  the  use  of  the  proper 
one. 

Intonation 

In  the  matter  of  intonation,  the  child  should  be  told 
to  put  spirit  and  life  into  his  remarks  rather  than  be 
instructed  in  cut  and  dried  or  arbitrary  tonal  inflec- 
tions —  dropping  or  raising  the  voice  or  emphasizing 
parts  of  sentences  should  not  be  taught  by  rule,  but 
be  prompted  unconsciously  by  the  feeling  behind  the 
remarks. 

A  monotonous  delivery,  either  when  speaking  or 
reciting,  is  the  result  of  lack  of  spirit.  Encourage 
the  child  to  put  spirit  into  his  speech,  imitate,  use  ges- 
tures, attitudes,  facial  expressions,  exclamations,  any- 
thing that  will  give  life  and  interest.  It  is  a  platitude 
that  a  good  story  may  be  spoiled  by  a  colorless,  in- 

lOO 


Social  Training 

sipid  recital  and  the  poorest  story  made  telling  if  in- 
vested with  vitality.  It  is  not  artificial,  elocutionary 
effects  that  are  desired  in  the  child,  but  a  spontaneous 
mirroring  of  the  words  in  the  tone  of  voice. 

Enunciation 

In  the  matter  of  enunciation,  precision  should  be  the 
rule.  The  teacher  should  be  particularly  watchful  to 
see  that  the  child  does  not  elide  final  syllables  and  con- 
sonants, such  as:  ing,  ow,  etc.  He  should  say,  play- 
ing,  not  playin';  window,  not  winder;  because,  not 
'cus;  door  not  do' ;  neither  in  the  last  instance  should 
the  "  r  "  be  "  burred  "  or  rolled  with  unpleasant  dis- 
tinctness. "  Git  "  for  "  get "  is  a  common  mispro- 
nunciation in  some  sections.  A  before  u,  as  in  laugh 
and  aunt,  and  before  1,  as  in  half,  palm,  calm,  psalm, 
etc.,  has  no  authority  for  any  pronunciation  but  the 
broad  sound,  pronounced  as  a  in  arm,  though  in  many 
parts  of  the  country  it  is  generally  pronounced  flat, 
the  same  way  as  "  a  "  before  other  consonants. 

Voice 

Nasal,  harsh  or  unpleasant  tonal  quality  should  be 
corrected  wherever  and  whenever  it  occurs.  There 
is  a  general  lack  of  regard  for  this  matter,  due  to  the 
fact  that  most  people  are  oblivious  to  the  good  and 
bad  or  make  no  conscious  distinction  except  in  exag- 
gerated cases. 

lOI 


Child  Training 

If  the  children  close  their  eyes  or  listen  to  speakers 
from  another  room,  paying  attention  to  the  sounds 
and  not  to  what  is  said,  they  may  become  aware  of  the 
varying  qualities  of  speaking  voices  and  the  pleasing 
and  disagreeable  characteristics. 

Baby  Talk 

The  mispronunciation  of  words,  due  to  inability  to 
articulate  or  more  usually  to  incorrect  hearing,  may 
be  amusing  and  delightful  on  account  of  its  simple 
naivete,  but  it  should  be  corrected,  and  above  all,  should 
not  be  imitated  by  the  parent  or  teacher.  "  Oo  "  and 
"  'ittle  "  may  be  cunning  in  a  three  year  old,  but  it  is 
silly  for  a  grown-up  to  use  such  expressions  in  ad- 
dressing the  three  year  old,  like  talking  "  pigeon " 
English  to  a  Chinaman,  but  what  is  worse,  it  gives  an 
incorrect  model  for  the  child,  and  thus  prolongs  the 
time  he  will  take  to  speak  correctly.  Precision  in 
the  pronunciation  of  one's  native  tongue  is  always 
delightful  at  any  age  and  an  ear-mark  of  the  well 
bred. 

Stammering,  Stuttering 

Stammering  and  stuttering  are  merely  bad  habits 
of  speech  caused  either  by  mental  or  physical  disorder. 
Like  all  habits  they  are  formed  gradually  and  can  be 
most  quickly  corrected  at  the  beginning.  The  parent 
or  teacher  must  therefore  aim  to  form  habits  of  de- 

I03 


Social  Training 

liberation  and  correct  utterance  to  take  the  place  of 
the  habit  of  stammering  or  stuttering  and  the  follow- 
ing- rules  and  drills  should  be  found  effective  in  form- 
ing  these  good  habits  and  eradicating  the  bad. 

1.  Remove  the  child  from  the  companionship  of 
any  one  who  stutters  or  stammers;  the  habit  is  conta- 
gious and  oftentimes  merely  the  result  of  imitation. 

2.  Do  not  scold,  punish  nor  ridicule  the  stammerer. 

3.  Tell  him  he  must  always  stop  and  take  a  deep 
breath  before  he  starts  to  speak  and  always  when 
he  starts  to  stammer  and  at  short  intervals  while  speak- 
ing, so  that  he  always  speaks  with  the  chest  well  filled. 

4.  When  he  starts  to  stammer,  simply  say, 
"Wait!"  until  he  forms  the  habit  of  stopping  in- 
stantly himself. 

5.  Drill  the  child  in  repeating  the  vowel  sounds  by 
themselves,  and  in  combination  with  consonants. 
Thus,  have  him  say,  "  a,  a,  a,  ba,  ba,  ba,  ca,  ca,  ca, 
da,  da,  da,"  etc.,  and  "  e,  e,  e,  be,  be,  be,  ce,  ce,  ce," 
and  so  on,  for  two  or  three  minutes  on  rising,  before 
retiring,  and  before  meals. 

6.  Note  the  particular  sounds  or  combination  of 
sounds  with  which  he  has  difficulty  and  practise  him  in 
saying  such  combination  a  given  number  of  times  as 
a  daily  or  more  frequent  exercise. 


103 


Child  Training 

Lisping 

In  the  case  of  lisping,  practise  the  child  in  saying 
syllables  and  words  in  which  a  lisp  occurs  till  he  is 
able  to  pronounce  such  words  without  a  trace  of  the 
"  th  "  sound. 


104 


,  i-uui.v/tfrapu  oy  BacuracU 

STORY  TELLING 
"The    Story    on    a    'Willow'    Plate" — Training    the    imagination 


PART  III 
STORY  TELLING 

KIND    OF   STORIES 

Story  telling  may  be  made  a  most  powerful  factor 
in  the  child's  educational  development.  To  serve  this 
purpose,  however,  the  stories  selected  must  not  be  the 
kind  that  merely  entertain,  they  must  have  some  educa- 
tional point  —  such  are : 

Hero  stories  and  those  dealing  with  courage,  truth 
and  other  virtues  —  for  forming  character. 

Fanciful  tales — for  stimulating  the  imagination, 
giving  a  delight  in  the  world  and  raising  the  prosy  na- 
ture above  the  literal,  common  sense,  matter  of  fact, 
banal. 

Humorous  and  nonsense  stories  —  for  giving  the 
child  the  ability  to  get  fun  out  of  life  and  as  an  antidote 
for  the  dreary  attitude  of  over  seriousness  with  which 
some  metallic  natures  without  warmth  or  feeling  are 
affected  and  in  whose  serious  scheme  of  education 
there  is  no  place  for  humor  or  nonsense. 

The  most  useful  and  important  stories  are  those 
that  inspire  emulation  of  a  model,  or  fire  ambition, 
as  described  in  General  Instructions. 

But  it  is  not  necessary  that  a  story  should  be  with- 
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Child  Training 

out  human  or  animal  villains  to  make  it  fit  for  a  child 
to  hear.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  part  of  education's 
business  to  make  the  child  aware  that  there  is  evil  as 
Avell  as  good  in  the  world  and  that  both  must  be 
reckoned  with. 

The  stories  next  in  importance  are  those  that  incite 
the  imagination.  Fairy  tales  and  fiction  are  the  best 
stories  for  training  this  quality,  which  Norton  calls 
"  the  supreme  intellectual  faculty."  A  child  who  is 
only  interested  in  real  stories  should  be  enticed  into 
liking  fiction,  for  the  former  attitude  is  an  evidence 
of  a  prosy,  matter  of  fact  mind  that  is  lacking  in 
imagination  and  needs  the  influence  and  training  that 
fairy  tales  can  give. 

Stories  that  describe  horrors,  bogies  or  anything 
that  might  incite  the  fears  of  the  child,  or  play  un- 
wholesomely  upon  his  emotions  —  tales  such  as  bad 
nurses  are  reputed  to  tell,  in  order  to  intimidate  or 
scare  the  child  into  submission  —  should,  of  course,  be 
carefully  avoided. 

Likewise,  tales  that  make  wrong  attractive  should 
not  be  told  to  children.  Indeed,  since  any  ideas, 
whether  good  or  bad,  as  already  stated,  tend  to  take 
form  in  act,  bad  qualities  should  be  mentioned, 
if  necessary  for  the  sake  of  contrast,  only  with  the 
most  extreme  caution. 

Common  sense,  however,  should  be  exercised  in  cen- 
soring and  expurgating,   for  there  is  hardly  a  good 

1 08 


Story  Telling 

story  in  existence  with  which  some  fault  could  not  be 
found  by  the  hypercritical,  though  the  dangers  are 
usually  only  hypothetical  or  theoretical  and  not  real. 
The  parent  who  objected  to  the  song  of  "  Three  Blind 
Mice,"  on  the  ground  that  it  taught  cruelty  to  animals 
because  the  farmer's  wife  "  cut  off  their  tails  with  a 
carving  knife,"  is  an  example  of  the  absurdities  into 
which  such  serious  minded  censorship  may  lead. 

Informational  stories  —  lessons  masking  under  a 
story  form  —  are  bad  from  every  point  of  view. 
Facts  about  nature,  science,  etc.,  are  better  and  more 
effectually  taught  in  direct  ways  and  the  story  form 
should  be  reserved  for  the  purposes  it  best  serves.  In- 
formation spoils  a  story  and  the  story  form  spoils  in- 
formation. 

Bearing  the  above  points  in  mind  and  regarding 
them,  the  parent  or  teacher  should  be  able  to  select 
stories  from  a  wide  variety  of  sources,  and  it  should 
not  be  very  difficult  for  her  to  invent  stories  that  would 
conform  to  the  above  principles  and  appeal  to  the 
children.  Many  good  stories  are  made  up,  sponta- 
neously improvised  for  an  occasion,  or  told  extempore, 
that  would  fall  flat  if  put  in  print.  For  educational 
purposes,  therefore, 
Stories  should  be : 

Hero  or  moral 

Fanciful  or 

Humorous,  and 

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Child  Training 

They  should  not  be: 

Informational,  except  incidentally 
Deal  with  bogies,  or 
Make  wrong  attractive. 

For  the  sake  of  holding  the  child's  interest,  stories 
to  be  most  successful,  that  is,  best  from  the  young 
child's  point  of  view,  should  have  the  following  qual- 
ities : 

Action  —  something  happening  all  the  time 

Mystery 

Repetition  —  recurrence  of  a  stock  phrase 

Fitting  conclusion  — "  and  they  lived  happily  ever 
afterwards."  The  story  should  be  finished  off  and 
completed  and  the  child  not  be  left  in  doubt  as  to  what 
was  the  final  outcome. 

METHOD   OF   TELLING 

The  story  may  be  read  to  the  child  but  it  is  better 
for  the  parent  to  acquaint  herself  with  the  story  and 
then  tell  it  as  vividly  as  she  is  able,  for  a  told  story 
is  worth  much  more  than  one  read.  In  telling  a  story 
to  a  child  the  teller  should  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the 
story,  telling  it  in  dead  earnest,  as  seriously  as  if  she 
beheved  every  word  of  it  herself,  displaying  genuine 
wonder,  deep  concern,  and  so  on,  but  without  affecta- 
tion or  exaggeration  of  manner.     If  she  can  do  so 

no 


Story  Telling 

simply  and  naturally,  without  effort,  she  may  imitate 
and  mimic  the  characters  in  a  story  but  she  should  tell 
the  story  and  not  act  it  out  —  a  form  of  mistaken 
zeal  which  results  in  clumsy  absurdities. 

The  teacher  should  have  a  new  story  for  each  day 
and  one  new  story  a  day  is  enough,  if  it  is  to  make  any 
impression  or  serve  any  purpose  other  than  entertain- 
ment, but  repeat  an  old  one  if,  on  asking  the  class,  a 
majority  prefer  it.  A  child  may  be  allowed  to  tell  an 
old  story  and  occasionally  a  new  one  or  an  original 
one,  as  this  affords  excellent  practice  in  the  language 
and  dramatic  arts.  A  few  minutes  should  be  allowed 
for  discussion  on  completion  of  the  story,  to  ask  ques- 
tions, and  to  make  comment  and  comparisons. 

LIST    OF    STORIES    AND    STORY    BOOKS 

The  following  is  a  list  of  books  that  contain  suitable 
stories  for  children  from  four  to  six.  Many  of  the 
stories  occur  in  several  of  the  collections,  as  is  to  be  ex- 
pected, and  unfortunately  no  collection  is  complete  or 
sufficient  in  itself,  so  that  a  teacher  or  parent  should 
possess  one  or  more  of  the  books,  selecting  them  in 
about  their  order  in  the  list  below : 

Bible  Stories 

Forbidden  Fruit Gen.  iii,  i-6 

Expulsion  from  Eden Gen.  iii,  12-24 

Cain  and  Abel  Gen.  iv,  1-15 

III 


Child  Training 

The  Flood Gen.    vi,    13-22 ;   vii ; 

viii 

Abraham  and  Isaac Gen.  xxii,  1-18 

Rebekah  at  Well Gen.  xxiv 

Esau  and  Jacob Gen.  xxvii 

Jacob's  Ladder Gen.  xxviii,  10-32 

Joseph  Sold   Gen.  xxxvii 

Joseph  Ruler   Gen.  xlii-xlv 

Moses  Found Ex.  ii,  i-io 

Moses  Before  Pharaoh   Ex.  vii-xi 

Passover    Ex.  xii,  xiv 

Balaam's  Ass   Num.  xxii,  20-35 

Samson  and  the  Philistines Judges  xvi,  13-31 

Infant  Samuel   I  Sam.  iii 

David  and  Goliath    I  Sam.  xvii 

Absalom II  Sam.  xviii,  4-33 

Barrel  of  Meal  and  Cruse  of  Oil.  .1  Kings  xvii 

Elijah  and  Fiery  Chariot II  Kings  ii,  1-14 

Job's   Sorrows    Job  i,  ii,  xlii 

Fiery  Furnace   Dan.  iii,  8-30 

Daniel  in  the  Lions'  Den Dan.  vi,  1.6-28 

Wise  Men Matt,  ii,  1-12 

Christmas    Luke  ii,  1-21 

Jesus  Stills  Storm Mark  iv,  35-41 

Jesus  Heals  Girl  Mark  v,  21-43 

Rich  Young  Man   Mark  x,  17-23 

Forgives  Seventy  Times  Seven  .  . .  Matt,  xviii,  21-35 

Good   Samaritan    Luke  x,  30-37 

Widow  and  Two  Mites Mark  xii,  41-44 

Prodigal  Son   Luke  xv,  1 1-32 


112 


Story  Telling 


Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten  Stories 

Dora,  The  Little  Girl  of  the  Lighthouse 

The  Honest  Woodman 

The  Three  Bears 

The  Little  Rooster 

The  Man  on  the  Chimney 

The  Lion  and  the  Mouse 

The  Three  Gold  Fishes 

The  Lost  Lamb 

The  Hare  and  the  Tortoise 

Diamonds  and  Toads 

North  Wind  and  the  Sun 

The  Echo 

The  Ugly  Duckling 

The  Hen-Hawk 

A  Lesson  of  Faith 

The  Fox  and  the  Grapes 

Stories  to  Tell  to  Children 

The  Gingerbread  Man 

How  Brother  Rabbit  Fooled  the  Whale  and  the  Ele- 
phant 

The  Story  of  Epaminondas  and  His  Auntie 

The  Boy  Who  Cried  "  Wolf !  " 

The  Little  Jackal  and  the  Alligator 

The  Elves  and  the  Shoemaker 

The  Brahmin,  The  Tiger,  and  The  Jackal 

The  Talkative  Tortoise 

The  Little  Jackal  and  the  Camel 


113 


Child  Training 

Tell  It  Again  Stories 

Gretchen  and  The  Magic  Fiddle 

The  Princess  and  Her  Golden  Ball 

Cinderella  and  the  Glass  Slipper 

Arthur  and  the  Sword 

The  Bell  of  Atri 

The  Birds  of  Killingworth 

Kindergarten  Story  Book 

Ludwig  and  Marleen 

What  Happened  on  the  Road  to  Grandfather  Good- 
field's 

Billy  Bobtail 
The  Fairy  Shoes 
Picciola 

How  TO  Tell  Stories  to  Children 

Ragg>'lug 
The  Pig  Brother 

The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin  Town 
Why    the    Evergreen    Trees    Keep    Their    Leaves    in 
Winter 


114 


Story  Telling 

LIST  OF  BOOKS  WITH   STORIES  FOR  CHILDREN 
UNDER  SCHOOL  AGE 

Bible 

Grimm    

For  the  Children's  Hour Bailey  and  Lewis 

Boston  Collection  of  Kindergarten 

Stories   J.  L.  Hammett  Co. 

Stories  to  Tell  to  Children Bryant 

Tell  It  Again  Stories  Dillingham  and   Em- 
erson 

Kindergarten  Story  Book Hoxie 

How  to  Tell  Stories  to  Children. .  Bryant 
Kindergarten  Stories  and  Morning 

Talks    Wiltse 

The  Story  Hour Wiggin  and  Smith 

Fables  and  Folk  Stories Scudder 

Book  of  Fables Stickney 

In  the  Child's  World Poulsson 

Five  Minute  Stories  Laura  E.  Richards 

More  Five  Minute  Stories Laura  E.  Richards 

The  Fairy  Ring Wiggin  and  Smith 

Big  Book  of  Nursery  Rhymes Douglas  Jerrold 

Big  Book  of  Fables Douglas  Jerrold 


"5 


Vhototrraph  1>>  Bachracli 


PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

'Down,  Up" — Developing  the  body 


PART  IV 
PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

HEALTH    REQUISITES 

Every  parent  appreciates  the  superlative  importance 
of  the  slogan  "Health  First!"  Without  health 
first,  all  the  mental  education  and  book  learning  in 
the  world  are  of  little  value.  To  be  a  good  animal  is 
the  fundamental  requisite  on  which  to  build  an  educa- 
tional superstructure.  But  it  is  far  from  sufficient,  as 
many  parents  think,  merely  to  let  the  child  "  run  wild  " 
out  of  doors,  or  to  harden  him  by  exposure.  Rous- 
seau even  advocated  sending  the  child  out  in  leaky 
shoes  to  accustom  him  to  exposure,  but  such  treatment 
is  too  heroic  for  young  children,  especially  at  the  pe- 
riod of  rapid  growth  between  four  and  five  as  there 
is  risk  of  bringing  on  rheumatic  endocarditis  and  other 
chronic  troubles. 

On  the  other  hand,  strange  to  say,  the  children  that 
have  the  most  care  and  attention  often  seem  to  be  the 
most  prone  to  colds,  digestive  upsets  and  other  dis- 
orders. Even  children  that  liave  their  daily  fresh  air 
walk  and  out  of  door  plays  are  often  merely  bundled 
up  sensitive  plants,   susceptible  to   every   draft,   raw 

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Child  Training 

wind,  damp  corner  and  change  of  temperature,  to  an 
overlooked  undergarment,  muffler  or  overshoes. 

But  physical  stamina  and  active  health,  the  kind 
that  reacts  and  throws  off,  that  is  not  affected  by  slight 
changes  of  temperature  or  atmosphere,  that  is  flexible, 
elastic,  rebounding,  is  not  obtained  by  any  hardening 
process  that  consists  simply  of  mere  exposure  to  wind 
and  v^eather.  Hardening  should  not  be  from  the  out- 
side, but  from  the  inside  —  by  storing  up  physical  en- 
ergy and  stamina  in  heart,  lungs  and  muscle. 

The  most  important  things  for  the  child's  physical 
well  being  are: 

Plenty  of  fresh  air.  All  night  and  during  the 
child's  active  day  he  should  be  in  the  open  or  practi- 
cally so.  His  sedentary  occupations  may  be  indoors 
—  if  any  must  be.  Too  often  children  are  sent  to 
classes  which  are  conducted  out  of  doors  with  great 
difficulty,  inconvenience  and  handicaps  for  two  or 
three  hours  a  day  and  then  are  kept  indoors  for  the 
remaining  twenty-one  hours,  when  they  could  much 
more  readily  and  with  vastly  greater  benefit  be  kept 
out  the  twenty-one  and  in  the  three  hours. 

Plenty  of  exercise,  but  not  too  much. 

Plenty  of  sleep.  A  child  from  four  to  six  years  of 
age  should  have  twelve  to  thirteen  hours  sleep  out  of 
the  twenty- four. 

Cold  baths.  A  cold  bath  or  sponge  on  rising  helps 
to  ward  off  colds. 

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Physical  Training 

Regular'  meals.  Between  meal  "  snacks  "  are  de- 
structive to  good  health. 

Mixed  diet.  Eggs,  milk,  cereals,  meats,  vegetables 
and  fruits.  Sweets  should  be  rarely  permitted,  pastry 
avoided,  and  tea  and  coffee,  pickles,  vinegar,  spice  and 
other  condiments  prohibited  altogether. 

Care  of  eyes.  Near  sightedness  is  now  thought  to 
be  largely  the  result  of  strain  during  the  growing 
period.  During  this  period  the  outer  envelope  of  the 
eye  ball  is  more  or  less  soft  and  easily  stretched  by  the 
focusing  muscles  of  the  eye  ball.  Continued  stretch- 
ing results  in  a  permanent  strain,  the  effect  being  near 
sightedness.  Strain  is  brought  about  by  too  close  or 
too  long  application  to  fine  work,  or  by  using  the  eyes 
in  dim  light  or  in  glaring  light.  A  child  should  not 
be  allowed  to  look  at  pictures  or  play  or  work  with 
fine  materials  at  twilight,  in  a  dark  corner,  in  his  own 
shadow,  or  in  the  direct  sunlight,  or  with  the  sunlight 
reflected  into  the  eyes  from  a  bright  surface. 

Astigmatism  is  an  irregularity  in  the  curve  of  the 
front  of  the  eye,  making  objects  seem  blurred  instead 
of  clear  cut.  It  should  be  corrected  by  the  use  of 
glasses  at  least  during  the  child's  growing  period,  as 
without  glasses  there  is  a  strain  in  the  attempt  to  focus 
more  clearly  and  near  sightedness  results.  After  the 
growing  period  when  near  sightedness  is  no  longer  to 
be  feared,  the  glasses  may  then  be  laid  aside,  if  the  as- 
tigmatism is  not  too  great. 

121 


Child  Training 

Eyes  should  not  be  rubbed.  When  there  is  any- 
thing in  the  eye  pull  upper  lid  down  over  lower  and 
blow  nose. 

Care  of  teeth.  Tests  have  shown  that  the  condi- 
tion of  the  teeth  has  a  marked  effect  on  both  the  men- 
tality and  the  state  of  health  of  school  children.  Put- 
ting the  teeth  in  good  condition  and  maintaining  them 
so  more  than  doubled  the  mental  efficiency  of  those 
tested. 

The  "  milk  teeth,"  the  child's  first  teeth,  should  be 
kept  in  as  long  as  possible;  this  makes  the  permanent 
teeth  more  regular  and  the  shape  of  the  mouth  and 
jaws  more  perfect. 

At  the  age  of  two  the  use  of  a  soft  tooth  brush 
should  be  begun. 

The  teeth  should  be  cleaned  up  and  down  —  not 
across  —  with  brush,  using  tooth  paste  at  night  and 
antiseptic  wash  in  the  morning. 

Teeth  should  not  be  picked  with  pins  or  anything 
metallic  or  hard,  dental  floss  is  best;  nor  should  one 
crack  nuts  or  bite  off  thread  or  eat  anything  very  sour 
or  very  hot. 

If  there  are  any  irregularities  in  the  growth  of  the 
teeth  they  should  be  promptly  corrected  by  a  dentist. 
Between  six  and  twelve,  during  which  period  the  per- 
manent teeth  appear,  the  jaw  is  quite  plastic  and  ir- 
regularities may  readily  be  corrected. 

122 


Physical  Training 

TABLE   OF   GROWTH 

Measure  and  weigh  your  children  in  the  autumn  and 
six  months  after  in  the  spring,  keep  the  record  and 
compare  with  the  following  figures,  which  are  estimated 
from  various  incomplete  sources  but  are  approximate. 
Girls  measure  slightly  less  than  figures  given  below. 


Age 

Height 

Weight 

1   Age 

Height 

Weight 

At  birth 

21  in.    1 

7  lbs. 

1        4 

38  in. 

38  lbs. 

I 

29  m. 

20  lbs. 

1       5 

40  in. 

42  lbs. 

2 

33  in- 

26  lbs. 

1       6 

43  in. 

46  lbs. 

3 

36  in. 

32  lbs. 

1       7 

45  in. 

50  lbs. 

Summer  is  the  growing  season  for  children,  as  well 
as  for  plants  and  accordingly,  a  greater  proportionate 
growth  will  show  for  the  summer  than  for  the  winter. 
A  child  from  four  to  seven  years  of  age  increases 
about  2  inches  in  height,  and  4  pounds  in  weight 
each  year,  chiefly  during  the  summer. 


EXERCISES 

Exercises  adapted  and  developed  from  the  child's 
own  play  interests  are  more  effective  than  those  that 
have  been  devised  with  the  special  purpose  of  exercis- 
ing certain  muscles  without  consulting  the  child's  likes 
or  dislikes.     What  is  done  with  the  heart  in  it,  with 

123 


Child  Training 

the  game  spirit,  prompted  by  nature,  is  done  much 
more  efficiently  and  with  vastly  less  fatigue  than  what 
is  imposed  and  arbitrarily  exacted  without  consulting 
nature. 

But  there  is  a  certain  class  of  exercises  —  specific 
drills  for  developing  certain  traits  or  correcting  mal- 
tendencies,  that  may  best  be  given  directly.  Free 
play  will  provide  much  of  the  physical  training  neces- 
sary, but  in  order  to  make  sure  that  the  development  is 
well  rounded  and  properly  balanced,  that  no  part  is  neg- 
lected or  slurred,  free  play  should  be  supplemented  by 
certain  systematic  drills.  Neither  rhythmic  move- 
ments, dancing  nor  romping  will  as  effectually  serve 
the  purpose  of  strengthening  weak  muscles  or  correct- 
ing physical  deficiencies.  Most  children  are  round- 
shouldered,  knock-kneed,  stand,  sit  and  walk  incor- 
rectly, and  are  in  need  of  abstract  calisthenics  that 
will  form  correct  habits  of  posture,  make  them  handle 
themselves  properly  and  develop  each  member  of  the 
body  so  that  it  may  perform  adequately  its  proper 
functions. 

These  exercises  should  be  short  as  they  are  to  the 
point  and  they  should  precede  the  recreative  free  play 

—  those  exercises  that  are  disguised  under  some  play 
interest.  The  teacher  should  be  cautious  not  to  overdo 
these  exercises,  or  carry  them  to  the  point  of  fatigue 

—  a  little  goes  a  long  way. 

Teach  the  children  all  of   these  various  exercises 
124 


Physical  Training 

and  drills  and  put  them  through  a  part  or  all  of  them 
each  day,  depending  on  the  child,  whether  he  can  stand 
the  whole  sequence  without  fatigue  or  not. 

With  these  exercises  there  is  no  object  in  introduc- 
ing novel  or  greatly  varied  drills  from  time  to  time. 
The  point  lies  in  their  regular  execution,  day  in  and 
day  out,  month  after  month  without  fail. 

The  teacher  or  parent  should  bear  in  mind  that  the 
object  of  these  exercises  is  not  to  increase  muscular 
power  beyond  what  is  normal  for  the  child's  age,  but 
to  form  correct  habits  of  carriage  and  posture,  correct 
any  maltendencies  and  maintain  an  even,  all  around 
development  consistent  with  the  child's  growth. 

Erect  carriage  in  children  is  absolutely  essential  to 
correct  growth  and  proper  development.  The  upright 
position  is  characteristic  of  the  human  race  and  of 
health  and  efficiency.  Incorrect  carriage  invites  all 
sorts  of  pulmonary  troubles.  The  mentally  deficient 
and  sub-normal  have  a  characteristically  defective 
posture. 

For  the  sake  of  both  health  and  appearance  the  up- 
right position  described  below  should  be  cultivated.  It 
is  hardly  to  be  expected  that  the  rigidly  erect  position 
will  be,  or  can  be,  maintained  indefinitely,  but  con- 
stant practice  in  assuming  this  position  and  holding 
it  throughout  formal  drills,  recitations  and  on  similar 
occasions  will  not  only  form  the  habit  of  holding  one- 
self correctly  but  develop  the  muscles  to  bring  about 

125 


Child  Training 

this  habitual  mihtary  erectness  that  is  so  noticeable 
among  army  men  of  all  nations,  not  only  on  dress 
parade  but  at  all  times. 

EXERCISE    I 

Sitting  Postures. 

Give  the  command, 

"Upright."  At  the  command,  have  each  child 
while  sitting  take  an  erect  position,  the  head  and  chin 
drawn  back,  the  points  of  the  shoulders  turned  back, 
the  spine  away  from  the  chair,  the  chest  forward,  the 
stomach  drawn  in,  the  hands  resting  in  the  lap,  the  feet 
on  the  floor. 

Give  the  command, 

"  At  Ease."  At  the  command,  have  each  child 
first  sit  back  as  far  as  possible  in  his  chair,  then  relax 
his  body  somewhat;  crossing  his  feet  or  knees  and 
resting  his  hands  naturally  and  comfortably. 

EXERCISE    2 

Standing  Positions. 

Give  the  command, 

"  Stand  Upright."  At  the  command,  have  each 
child  stand  with  a  lean  slightly  forward  from  the 
heels  so  as  to  throw  the  weight  of  the  body  on  the  balls 
of  the  feet,  the  knees  and  heels  touching  or  slightly 
apart  and  the  feet  pointing  nearly  straight  ahead,  the 
hands  hanging  by  the  side  with  palms  to  the  body,  the 

126 


Physical  Training 

head,  chin,  chest,  shoulders  and  stomach  in  the  same 
position  as  for  sitting. 

"  Toeing  out "  which  used  to  be  demanded,  invites 
flat  foot  and  broken  arches.  "  Indian  footed,"  that 
is  with  feet  pointed  nearly  straight  ahead  is  the  only 
position  in  which  the  arches  of  the  feet  can  stand  the 
most  strain  and  fatigue  from  walking,  running  or 
standing.  (See  illustration  facing  page  3  for  correct 
position  of  feet.) 

The  natural  curves  of  the  head,  neck,  back  and  legs 
should  follow  in  general  a  straight  line  axis  from  head 
to  heel  when  viewed  from  the  side,  not  quite  a  ver- 
tical one  but  one  tilted  slightly  forward  so  that  the 
center  of  gravity  of  the  body  will  come  squarely  over 
the  center  of  its  support  —  the  feet.  Test  the  child  on 
this  position  by  giving  him  a  sudden,  unexpected  touch 
from  in  front  —  not  a  push  but  merely  a  touch  with  a 
finger.  If  he  loses  his  equilibrium  he  has  not  been 
standing  with  his  body  swung  forward  enough.  He 
must  be  careful,  however,  not  to  bend  forward  from 
the  waist  or  neck  —  the  general  direction  of  the  back 
line  should  be  straight,  from  head  to  heel,  not  bent. 

Of  course,  by  a  "straight  back"  is  not  meant  a 
straight  line  back.  The  hollow  or  incurve  above  the 
hips  known  as  the  small  of  the  back  should  be  main- 
tained, but  at  the  same  time  it  should  not  be  exagger- 
ated. The  usual  tendency  for  a  child  when  told  to 
stand  erect  is  to  throw  back  the  shoulders  and  at  the 

127 


Child  Training 

same  time  throw  forward  the  stomach.     This  should 
not  be. 

To  test  the  proper  position  of  the  shoulders  run  the 
hand  over  the  child's  back.  It  should  feel  flat  and  free 
from  the  projections  or  wings  which  the  shoulder 
blades  make  when  the  points  of  the  shoulders  are  not 
held  back.  A  person  is  called  "  round  shouldered  " 
when  the  shoulder  points  droop  forward,  and  the 
blades  stick  out  in  back  as  a  consequence. 

As  fully  half  of  a  child's  time  at  this  age  is  spent  in 
bed,  correct  or  incorrect  posture  is  in  a  great  degree 
influenced  by  his  manner  of  sleeping. 

It  is  natural  for  a  child  of  this  age  to  sleep  flat  on 
his  stomach  with  his  face  turned  either  to  the  right  or 
left,  or  else  flat  on  his  back.  In  either  case  no  pillow 
should  be  used,  as  it  would  distort  the  head.  If,  how- 
ever, the  child  sleeps  habitually  on  the  side,  it  is  just 
as  imperative  that  he  should  have  a  pillow  to  fill  the 
space  made  between  shoulder  and  head,  to  prevent 
distortion  and  strain  on  the  neck  glands  and  muscles. 

Give  the  command, 

"  At  Ease."  At  the  command  have  each  child  re- 
lax the  position  of  attention  somewhat  and  rest  the 
weight  of  the  body  on  either  leg,  one  of  which  may  be 
advanced  to  the  front  or  placed  to  the  side.  One  or 
both  hands  may  be  put  behind  the  back,  on  the  hips 
or  in  belt  but  not  in  pockets.  The  latter  position  is 
objectionable  as  it  throws  the  shoulders  forward. 

128 


Physical  Training 

The  position  "  at  ease  "  is  permissible  only  in  in- 
formal situations  and  occasions  but  even  then  should 
not  become  a  slouch.  On  all  formal  occasions,  how- 
ever, as  when  addressing  an  older  person  or  when  re- 
spect or  courtesy  is  to  be  shown,  all  careless  positions 
and  especially  lounging  postures  —  leaning  against  a 
door  or  wall,  a  table,  a  chair  —  are  discourteous.  At 
the  same  time  the  posture  should  be  free  from  the 
butler-like  stiffness  or  regularity  that  is  a  mark  of 
servility. 

Repeat  the  commands,  "  Upright  "  and  "  At  Ease," 
and  practise  children  in  assuming  and  losing  the 
upright  position  till  it  can  be  taken  properly  and  at 
will. 

EXERCISE    3 

CaUsthenic  Drills.  Each  of  these  drills  should  be 
done  from  six  to  a  dozen  times,  but  not  overdone. 
Over-exercise  may  cause  heart  dilatation  and  fatigue 
is  dangerous. 

The  correct  upright  position  already  described  is  the 
first  and  absolute  essential  if  the  exercises  are  to  have 
the  effect  intended. 

Between  each  drill  have  the  child  take  three  or  four 
long,  deep  breaths. 

Drill  I.  Swing  Arms  Front  to  Back.  This  is  for 
the  chest  and  shoulders.     Give  the  command, 

"  Ready  "  and  have  the  children  imitating  you,  or  a 
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Child  Training 

child  appointed  leader,  stretch  hands  to  the  front  with 
palms  touching.     Count, 

"  I,  2 ;  3,  4;  "  and  so  on  up  to  6  or  more,  and  have 
children  keeping  time  with  the  count,  carry  extended 
arms  back  horizontally  as  far  as  possible,  while  rising 
at  same  time  on  toes,  then  clap  hands  in  front. 

Drill  2.  Bend  Forward.  This  is  for  the  trunk 
muscles.     Give  the  command, 

"  Ready,"  and  have  the  children  place  hands  on  hips, 
thumbs  back,  elbows  back.     Count, 

"  I,  2 ;  3,  4; "  and  so  on  up  to  6  or  more  and  have 
the  children  keeping  time  with  the  count  bend  at  the 
hips,  and  not  at  the  waist,  as  far  forward  as  possible 
and  then  back. 

Be  careful  to  have  them  keep  head  in  alignment 
with  body  —  not  pitch  it  forward,  nor  cave  in  chest. 

Drill  3.  Bend  Side  to  Side.  Have  the  children  do 
similar  exercise  to  right  and  left  side  alternately, 

Drill  4.  Touch  Ground  iinth  Hands.  This  is  for 
the  back.     Give  the  command, 

"  Ready,"  and  have  the  children  take  the  position 
with  hands  held  up  over  head  as  high  as  they  can 
reach. 

Say, 

"  Down,  Up,"  and  have  the  children  suiting  the  ac- 
tion to  the  word  sweep  their  hands  down  towards 
ground,  bending  at  hips,  but  not  bending  the  legs, 
and  then  return  to  first  position. 

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Physical  Training 

Drill  5.  Squat.  This  for  the  legs  and  balance  of 
body.     Give  the  command, 

"  Ready,"  and  have  the  children  take  position  with 
hands  on  hips,  thumbs  back.     Say, 

"  Down,"  "  Up,"  and  have  the  children  lower  trunk 
vertically,  bending  at  knees  and  then  rise  to  first  posi- 
tion. 

Drill  6.  Down,  Up  and  Twist.  This  is  for  the 
whole  trunk.     Give  the  command, 

"  Ready,"  and  have  the  children  take  position  with 
feet  spread  apart  and  with  both  arms  extended  di- 
rectly to  front  and  hands  clasped. 

Say, 

"  Down,"  "  Up,"  and  have  the  children,  suiting  the 
action  to  the  word,  swing  their  clasped  hands  down 
between  their  legs,  then  up  with  a  twist  round  to  the 
right.  Then  with  a  twist  back  to  the  front,  have  them 
swing  down  and  up  again,  with  a  twist  round  to  the 
left. 

Drill  7.  Flap.  This  is  for  the  lungs,  heart  and  a 
variety  of  muscles.     Give  the  command, 

"  Ready,"  and  have  the  children  take  "  Upright  " 
position.     Count, 

"  I'  2;  3,  4;"  etc.,  and  have  the  children,  keeping 
time  with  the  count,  jump  to  a  position  with  both  feet 
spread  far  apart,  at  the  same  time  swinging  both  arms 
sidewise  directly  overhead,  then  jump  back  to  first 
position  and  repeat. 

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Child  Training 

Drill  8.     Breathe  Deep  and  Long.     Breathing  ex 
ercises.     Give  the  command, 

"  Stretch,"  and  have  the  children  slowly  raise  arms 
sidewise  over  head  and  draw  in  breath  through  nose 
while  doing  so,  then  as  slowly  exhale.  Repeat  three 
or  four  times.  A  child  who  has  difficulty  in  breathing 
through  nose  should  be  examined  for  adenoid  growths. 

EXERCISE    4 

Walking.  Have  the  children  practise  walking  in 
single  file,  preferably  to  music.  They  should  keep  step, 
the  left  foot  keeping  time  with  the  musical  accent.  At 
first,  however,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  see  that  they  step 
in  rhythm  with  the  music  without  regard  to  which 
foot  is  first.  Beat  time  on  a  drum  or  have  them  clap 
their  hands  with  each  and  every  foot-fall  until  they  are 
able  to  keep  step  with  the  beat  and  with  a  fair  degree 
of  precision.  Then  they  should  clap  on  every  other 
foot-fall  —  the  left.  A  ribbon  tied  round  the  right 
arms  of  the  children  who  do  not  know  their  left  from 
their  right  or  are  uncertain  or  hesitating  will  help  to 
teach  them  these  fundamental  positions,  but  the  rib- 
bon should  always  be  used  to  identify  the  same  side, 
the  right.  It  should  not  be  used  to  mark  the  right 
one  time  and  the  accented  foot  the  next. 

The  leaders  —  those  selected  for  their  ability  to  keep 
both  the  time  and  the  step  —  may  be  given  a  drum, 
an  orchestral  triangle  or  a  clapper,  which  they  maj 

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Physical  Training 

sound  as  they  march,  in  imitation  of  a  street  parade 
led  by  a  band. 

As  the  children  become  expert  in  keeping  step  with 
the  music,  change  the  time  from  2-4  to  3-4  and  when 
they  are  practised  in  keeping  step  to  this  with  a  long, 
swinging  gait,  alternate  2-4  and  3-4  time  and  drill  them 
till  they  can  and  will  instantly  change  their  step  with 
the  changed  time  without  oral  direction.  This  requires 
considerable  training  of  the  rhythmic  sense  and  makes 
strong  demand  on  the  attention  but  adds  much  interest 
and  zest  to  the  exercise,  especially  if  the  time  is 
changed  abruptly  and  unexpectedly  after  a  few  meas- 
ures and  then  again  after  a  longer  interval,  so  that 
the  game  spirit  is  injected  into  the  march  and  the  chil- 
dren are  kept  on  the  alert  not  to  be  caught  out  of 
step  by  any  sudden  change. 

As  the  children  march,  correct  their  manner  of  step- 
ping and  holding  themselves.  They  should,  of  course, 
hold  themselves  erect,  swing  their  arms  naturally, 
parallel  to  the  body,  with  thumbs  to  the  front.  They 
should  not  swing  them  across  the  body  in  front  like 
a  swaggerer,  nor  behind  like  a  prim ;  they  should  tread 
firmly,  neither  tip-toeing  nor  heeling,  not  heavily  with 
a  jar  at  each  step  but  with  elasticity  and  spring. 

Have  them  circle  the  room  single  file,  then  march 
down  the  center.  Have  them  keep  directly  behind 
each  other  and  at  arm's  length  distance  from  the  one 
in  front,  not  by  measuring  with  the  arm  extended,  but 

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Child  Training 

gaging  the  distance  with  the  eye.  This  is  an  im- 
portant detail  not  only  for  appearance  sake  but  for  at- 
tention and  control.  On  reaching  the  end  of  the  room 
have  them  separate,  the  first  child  going  to  the  right 
and  the  next  to  the  left,  and  so  on  alternately.  The 
two  lines  thus  formed  should  continue  down  the  sides 
of  the  room  till  they  meet  at  the  other  end;  they 
should  then  march  down  the  center  two  and  two,  and 
the  alternate  pairs  should  separate  to  right  and  left  at 
the  end  of  the  room  and  so  on,  till  four  or  eight  pupils 
march  abreast.  Then  reverse  the  process,  the  fours 
separating  into  pairs  and  the  pairs  into  individuals, 
till  the  original  single  marching  order  is  reached. 
Other  marching  orders  may  be  readily  devised. 

EXERCISE    5 

This  is  a  Variation  of  the  Walking  Drill.  With 
the  children  marching  in  single  file,  give  order, 

"  Hands  on  hips."  Have  children  place  their  hands 
in  this  position  and  continue  march.     Then  give  order, 

"  Hands  behind  head."  Have  children  clasp  hands 
behind  head  with  elbows  pressed  as  far  back  as  pos- 
sible.    Then  give  order, 

"  Tip-toe."  Have  the  children  tread  only  on  the 
balls  of  the  feet,  the  heels  not  touching.  Then  give 
order, 

"  Skip."  Have  the  children  skip.  Be  careful  to 
have  them  skip  on  their  toes  not  on  their  heels  and 

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Physical  Training 

when  raising  each  foot  to  have  the  toe  not  the  heel 
pointed  downward.  Have  them  skip  also  in  couples, 
holding  each  other  by  the  hand.     Then  give  order, 

"  Run."  In  running  the  children  should  always 
tread  on  the  balls  of  the  feet,  never  allowing  the  heel 
to  touch,  and  swing  the  arms  bent  at  the  elbow,  alter- 
nately across  the  chest. 

EXERCISE   6 

Obstacle  Race.  Arrange  in  a  circular  or  S  shaped 
line  around  the  room  the  following  objects,  in  about 
the  order  indicated  and  from  five  to  ten  feet  apart. 

A  chair, 

An  Indian  club  or  ten-pin. 

Three  or  four  small  chairs  a  foot  apart, —  the  in- 
terval to  be  gradually  widened, 

A  kindergarten  table, 

A  drum,  held  by  teacher  at  height  of  child's  head, 

A  jumping  rope  suspended  between  two  chairs, 

A  bell  suspended  a  foot  or  more  above  a  child's 
head, 

A  spring  board  tied  down  to  two  chairs  which  sup- 
port it  at  either  end, 

A  rail, 

A  hoop  held  by  pupil, 

A  kindergarten  table. 

Then  have  children  start  and  step  on  to  chair  and 
down  again,  hop  over  Indian  club  or  ten-pin,  without 

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Child  Training 

knocking  it  down,  step  from  chair  to  chair  arranged 
at  wider  and  wider  intervals  Hke  stepping  stones,  or 
from  circle  to  circle  chalked  on  the  floor  or  ground, 
crawl  under  table,  kick  drum  held  by  the  teacher  in 
mid-air,  being  ordered  to  do  so  first  with  right  foot 
then  on  next  time  round  with  left,  hurdle  on  the  run 
the  jumping  rope,  tap  in  passing  the  bell  held  high, 
jump  on  to  the  spring  board  and  off,  walk  the  rail,  walk 
crouching  through  hoop,  vault  table  or  fence,  pick  up 
book  or  other  object  from  floor  and  put  it  on  the 
table. 

EXERCISE   7 

Jumping  Rope.  Have  the  children  jump  rope,  first 
running  through  without  letting  it  touch,  then  jumping 
once  and  running  out,  then  twice  and  so  on.  All  such 
exercises  involving  hopping  or  jumping  on  orue  or  both 
feet,  should  be  done  on  the  toes  to  avoid  jar  and 
awkwardnfess.  This  is  an  excellent  exercise  for  the 
lungs,  back,  legs,  ankles  and  toes,  for  rhythmic  move- 
ment, poise  and  grace. 

For  children  of  this  age,  however.  It  should  be  only 
moderately  indulged  in,  as  it  is  apt  to  be  overdone  and 
thus  become  a  strain  on  the  heart. 

EXERCISE   8 

Tug  of  War.  Appoint  a  leader  for  each  side.  Each 
leader  takes  hold  of  an  end  of  a  rope  and  chooses  in 

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Physical  Training 

turn,  one  child  at  a  time,  to  take  hold  of  the  rope  on 
his  side.  A  line  is  then  made  on  the  ground  at  the 
center  of  the  rope  and  at  a  signal  from  the  teacher,  the 
two  sides  pull  against  each  other  till  one  side  succeeds 
in  pulling  the  last  man  —  the  leader  —  of  the  other  side 
over  the  line  that  has  been  made. 


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rhotograpti  by  Bachracli 


RHYTHMIC  ARTS 
"FolV    Dancing" — Giving    grace,    poise,    rhythmic    sense 


PART  V 
RHYTHMIC  ARTS 

The  Rhythmic  Arts  inchide  rimes,  songs,  singing 
games  and  dances.  They  supply  the  most  effective 
means  of  advancing  the  child's  esthetic  life. 

The  rimes  are  classics  as  are  also  the  singing  games 
and  folk  dances,  but  the  best  child's  songs,  with  one 
or  two  exceptions,  are  modern. 

RIMES 

The  following  nursery  rimes  are  most  suitable  for 
a  child  to  hear  and  to  learn.  Elocutionary  effects  that 
are  not  prompted  from  the  inner  spirit  of  the  child  are 
usually  strained  and  often  absurd  and  should  neither 
be  encouraged  nor  allowed. 

Pat-a-cake,  pat-a-cake,  baker's  man. 
So  I  will,  master,  as  fast  as  I  can. 
Pat  it,  and  prick  it,  and  mark  it  with  T, 
And  put  in  the  oven  for  Tommy  and  me. 


Little  Bo-peep  has  lost  her  sheep. 
And  can't  tell  where  to  find  them ; 

Leave  them  alone,  and  they  '11  come  home, 
And  bring  their  tails  behind  them. 
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Child  Training 

Little  Bo-peep  fell  fast  asleep, 

And  dreamt  she  heard  them  bleating; 

But  when  she  awoke,  she  found  it  a  joke, 
For  still  they  all  were  fleeting. 

Then  up  she  took  her  little  crook, 

Determined  for  to  find  them  ; 
She  found  them,  indeed,  but  it  made  her  heart  bleed, 

For  they  'd  left  their  tails  behind  them. 


Ba-a,  ba-a,  black  sheep,  have  you  any  wool? 

Yes,  marry,  have  I,  three  bags  full; 

One  for  my  master,  one  for  his  dame, 

And  one  for  the  little  boy  that  lives  in  the  lane. 


Little  Miss  Mufifett 

Sat  on  a  tufifett, 
Eating  her  curds  and  whey ; 

Thene  came  a  black  spider, 

And  sat  down  beside  her. 
Which  frightened  Miss  Mufifett  away. 


Daffy-down-dilly  has  come  up  to  town, 
In  a  yellow  petticoat  and  a  green  gown. 


Hey,  diddle,  diddle,  l_^ 

The  cat  and  the  fiddle, 
The  cow  jumped  over  the  moon; 

The  little  dog  laugh'd 

To  see  such  craft. 
And  the  dish  ran  away  with  the  spoon. 

142 


Rhythmic  Arts 

Bye,  baby  Bunting, 
Father  's  gone  a-hunting, 
Gone  to  get  a  rabbit  skin 
To  wrap  the  baby  Bunting  in. 


Little  Jack  Horner  sat  in  a  corner. 

Eating  his  Christmas  pie; 
He  put  in  his  thumb,  and  pulled  out  a  plum. 

And  said,  "  What  a  good  boy  am  I !  " 


Little  Boy  Blue,  come  blow  your  horn. 
The  sheep  's  in  the  meadow,  the  cow  's  in  the  corn ; 
What !  is  this  the  way  you  mind  your  sheep. 
Under  the  hay-cock,  fast  asleep? 


I  had  a  little  pony, 

His  name  was  Dapple-gray, 
I  lent  him  to  a  lady. 

To  ride  a  mile  away ; 
She  whipp'd  him,  she  slash'd  him, 

She  rode  him  through  the  mire; 
I  would  not  lend  my  pony  now 
For  all  the  lady's  hire. 


Pussy  cat,  pussy  cat, 
Where  have  you  been? 
I  've  been  to  London, 
To  visit  the  queen. 
Pussy  cat,  pussy  cat, 
What  did  you  there? 
I  frightened  a  little  mouse 
Under  her  chair. 

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Child  Training 

Some  little  mice  sat  in  a  barn  to  spin, 

Pussy  came  by  and  popped  her  head  in ; 

"  Shall  I  come  in  and  cut  your  threads  off  ?  " 

"  O !  no,  kind  ma'am,  you  will  snap  our  heads  off !  " 


Tom  he  was  a  piper's  son, 
He  learnt  to  play  when  he  was  young, 
But  all  the  tune  that  he  could  play, 
Was  "  Over  the  hills  and  far  away." 


Little  Tom  Tucker 
Sings  for  his  supper. 
What  shall  he  eat? 
White  bread  and  butter. 
How  will  he  cut  it. 
Without  e'er  a  knife? 
How  will  he  be  married. 
Without  e'er  a  wife? 


Simple  Simon  met  a  pieman 

Going  to  the  fair; 
Says  Simple  Simon  to  the  pieman, 

"  Pray  let  me  taste  your  ware." 


Jack  and  Jill  went  up  the  hill,     ._ 

To  fetch  a  pail  of  water ; 
Jack  fell  down  and  broke  his  crown, 

And  Jill  came  tumbling  after, 

144 


Rhythmic  Arts 

Mary,  Mary  quite  contrary 
How  does  your  garden  grow  ? 

With  silver  bells  and  cockle  shells 
And  pretty  maids  all  in  a  row. 


Curly  locks !  curly  locks  !  wilt  thou  be  mine  ? 

Thou  shalt  not  wash  dishes,  nor  yet  feed  the  swine. 
But  sit  on  a  cushion  and  sew  a  fine  seam, 

And  feed  upon  strawberries,  sugar  and  cream! 


OM  King  Cole 

Was  a  merry  old  soul, 
And  a  merry  old  soul  was  he ; 

He  called  for  his  pipe. 

And  he  called  for  his  bowl, 
And  he  called  for  his  fiddlers  three. 

Every  fiddler,  he  had  a  fine  fiddle, 

And  a  very  fine  fiddle  had  he ; 
Twee  tweedle  dee,  tweedle  dee,  went  the  fiddlers. 

O,  there  's  none  so  rare. 

As  can  compare 
With  King  Cole  and  his  fiddlers  three! 


I  '11  tell  you  a  story 

About  Mother  Morey, 
And  now  my  story  's  begun, 

I  '11  tell  you  another 

About  her  brother. 
And  now  my  story  's  done. 

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Child  Training 

The  lion  and  the  unicorn 

Were  fighting  for  the  crown ; 
The  lion  beat  the  unicorn 

All  about  the  town. 
Some  gave  them  white  bread, 

And  some  gave  them  brown, 
Some  gave  them  plum-cake, 

And  sent  them  out  of  town. 


Three  wise  men  of  Gotham   _^ 
Went  to  sea  in  a  bowl ; 
If  the  bowl  had  been  stronger, 
My  song  had  been  longer. 


There  was  a  man  in  our  town. 

And  he  was  wondrous  wise ; 
He  jumped  into  a  bramble  bush, 

And  scratched  out  both  his  eyes. 
And  when  he  saw  his  eyes  were  out. 

With  all  his  might  and  main 
He  jumped  into  another  bush, 

And  scratched  them  in  again. 


The  man  in  the  moon. 

Came  down  too  soon. 
To  ask  the  way  to  Norwich ; 

He  went  by  the  south, 

And  burnt  his  mouth, 
With  eating  cold  pease-porridge. 

146 


Rhythmic  Arts 

Hickory,  dickory,  dock, 

The  mouse  ran  up  the  clock. 

The  clock  struck  one. 

And  down  he  run, 
Hickory,  dickory,  dock. 


There  was  an  old  woman  who  lived  in  a  shoe. 

She  had  so  many  children  she  did  n't  know  what  to  do ; 

She  gave  them  some  broth  without  any  bread. 

She  whipped  them  all  soundly  and  put  them  to  bed. 


One  misty,  moisty  morning, 

When  cloudy  was  the  weather, 

I  chanced  to  meet  an  old  man  clothed  all  in  leather, 

H"e  began  to  compliment,  and  I  began  to  grin, 

How  do  you  do  ?  and  how  do  you  do  ? 

And  how  do  you  do  again  ? 


If  all  the  world  were  apple-pie, 

And  all  the  sea  were  ink. 
And  all  the  trees  were  bread  and  cheese, 

What  should  we  have  to  drink? 


Jack  Sprat  could  eat  no  fat. 
His  wife  could  eat  no  lean, 

And  so  between  them  both 
They  licked  the  platter  clean. 


Peter  Piper  picked  a  peck  of  pickled  peppers ; 
A  peck  of  pickled  peppers  Peter  Piper  picked ; 
If  Peter  Piper  picked  a  peck  of  pickled  peppers, 

147 


Child  Training 

Where   are   the   peck   of   pickled   peppers    Peter    Piper 
picked  ? 


Ding,  dong,  bell ! 

Pussy  's  in  the  well. 

Who  put  her  in  ? 

Little  Tommy  Green, 

Who  pulled  her  out? 

Great  Johnny  Stout. 

What  a  naughty  boy  was  that, 

To  drown  poor  pussy-cat. 

Who  never  did  him  any  harm, 

But  killed  the  mice  in  his  father's  barn ! 


Sing  a  song  of  sixpence, 

A  pocket  full  of  rye; 
Four  and  twenty  blackbirds 

Baked  in  a  pie. 

When  the  pie  was  open'd 
The  birds  began  to  sing; 

Was  not  that  a  dainty  dish 
To  set  before  the  king? 

The  king  was  in  his  counting-house 

Counting  out  his  money ; 
The  queen  was  in  the  parlor 

Eating  bread  and  honey; 

The  maid  was  in  the  garden 
Hanging  out  the  clothes ; 

There  came  a  Httle  blackbird 
And  snapt  off  her  nose. 
148 


Rhythmic  Arts 

Little   fishey   in   a  brook 
Daddy  catch  him  with  a  hook, 
Mama  fry  him  in  a  pan, 
Baby  eat  him  Hke  a  man. 


Hush  a  bye  baby 
Upon  the  tree  top, 

When  the  wind  blows 
The  cradle  will  rock. 

When  the  bough  breaks 
The  cradle  will  fall, 

Down  tumbles  baby, 
Bough,  cradle,  and  all. 


This  is  the  house  that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  malt, 

th-at  lay  in  the  house  that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  rat, 

that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  cat, 

that  chased  the  rat, 
that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  dog, 

that  worried  the  cat, 
that  chased  the  rat, 
149 


Child  Training 

that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  cow 

with  crumpled  horn, 
that  tossed  the  dog, 
that  worried  the  cat, 
that  chased  the  rat, 
that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  maiden 
all  forlorn, 
that  milked  the  cow 
with  crumpled  horn, 
that  tossed  the  dog, 
that  worried  the  cat, 
that  chased  the  rat, 
that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  youth 

all  tattered  and  torn, 
that  kissed  the  maiden 
all  forlorn, 
that  milked  the  cow 
with  crumpled  horn, 
that  tossed  the  dog, 
that  worried  the  cat, 
that  chased  the  rat. 


Rhythmic  Arts 

that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  priest 

all  shaven  and  shorn, 
that  married  the  youth 
all  tattered  and  torn, 
that  kissed  the  maiden 
all  forlorn, 
that  milked  the  cow 
with  crumpled  horn, 
that  tossed  the  dog, 
that  worried  the  cat, 
that  chased  the  rat, 
that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 

This  is  the  cock 

that  crowed  in  the  morn, 
to  wake  the  priest 
all  shaven  and  shorn, 
that  married  the  youth 
all  tattered  and  torn, 
that  kissed  the  maiden 
all  forlorn, 
that  milked  the  cow 
with  crumpled  horn, 
that  tossed  the  dog-, 
that  worried  the  cat, 
that  chased  the  rat, 

151 


Child  Training 

that  ate  the  malt, 
that  lay  in  the  house 
that  Jack  built. 


There  was  a  crooked  man, 
And  he  went  a  crooked  mile. 
He  found  a  crooked  sixpence 
Against  a  crooked  stile. 
He  bought  a  crooked  cat, 
Which  caught  a  crooked  mouse, 
And  they  all  lived  togetlier 
In  a  little  crooked  house. 


The  north  wind  doth  blow, 
And  we  shall  have  snow. 
And  what  will  the  robin  do  then? 

Poor  thing! 

He  '11  sit  in  a  barn, 
And  keep  himself  warm. 
And  hide  his  head  under  his  wing, 

Poor  thing! 


Ride  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury-cross, 

To  see  an  old  lady  upon  a  white  horse, 

With  rings  on  her  fingers,  and  bells  on  her  toes. 

She  shall  make  music  wherever  she  goes. 


Pease  porridge  hot. 
Pease  porridge  cold, 

Pease  porridge  in  the  pot, 
Nine  days  old; 
152 


Rhythmic  Arts 

Some  like  it  hot, 
Some  like  it  cold, 

Some  like  it  in  the  pot. 
Nine  days  old. 


One,  two. 

Buckle  my  shoe; 

Three,  four. 

Shut  the  door; 

Five,  six. 

Pick  up  sticks; 

Seven,  eight, 

Lay  them  straight; 

Nine,  ten, 

A  good  fat  hen ; 

Eleven,  twelve, 

A  man  must   delve. 


Bow,  wow,  wow. 
Whose  dog  art  thou? 
Little  Tom  Tinker's  dog, 
Bow,  wow,  wow. 


As  I  was  going  to  St.  Ives, 

I  met  a  man  with  seven  wives; 

Every  wife  had  seven  sacks, 

Every  sack  had  seven  cats. 

Every  cat  had  seven  kits ; 

Kits,  cats,  sacks,  and  wives, 

How  many  were  there  going  to  St,  Ives? 

153 


Child  Training 

Early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise 

Makes  a  man  healthy,  wealthy,  and  wise. 


April  showers 
Make  May  flowers. 


There  was  an  old  woman  toss'd  up  in  a  basket 
Nineteen  times  as  high  as  the  moon ; 

But  where  she  was  going,  I  could  n't  but  ask  it, 
For  in  her  hand  she  carried  a  broom. 

"  Old  woman,  old  woman,  old  woman,"  quoth  I, 
"  O  whither,  O  whither,  O  whither,  so  high  ?  " 
"  To  brush  the  cobwebs  off  the  sky !  " 
"  Shall  I  go  with  thee?  "     "  Aye,  by  and  by." 


Who  killed  Cock  Robin? 
"  I,"  said  the  Sparrow, 
"  With  my  bow  and  arrow ; 

I  killed  Cock  Robin." 

Who  saw  him  die? 
"  I,"  said  the  Fly, 
"With  my  little  eye; 

I  saw  him  die." 

Who  caught  his  blood  ? 
"  I,"  said  the  Fish, 
"•  With  my  little  dish ; 

I  caught  his  blood." 

154 


Rhythmic  Arts 

Who  made  his  shroud? 
"  I,"  said  the  Beetle, 
"With  my  little  needle; 

I  made  his  shroud." 

Who  '11  be  the  parson  ? 

"  I,"  said  the  Rook ; 

"  With  my  little  book ; 
I  '11  be  the  parson." 

Who  '11  dig  his  grave  ? 

"  I,"  said  the  Owl, 

"  With  my  spade  and  shovel ; 
I  '11  dig  his  grave." 

Who '11  be  the  clerk? 
"  I,"  said  the  Lark, 
"If  't  is  not  in  the  dark; 

I  '11  be  the  clerk." 

Who  '11  carry  him  to  the  grave  ? 
"  I,"  said  the  Kite, 
"If  't  is  not  in  the  night ; 

I  '11  carry  him  to  the  grave." 

Who  '11  be  the  chief  mourner  ? 
"  I,"  said  the  Dove, 
"  Because  of  my  love ; 

I  '11  be  chief  mourner." 

Who  '11  sing  a  psalm  ? 
*'  I,"  said  the  Thrush, 

155 


Child  Training 

As  she  sat  in  a  bush ; 
*'  I  '11  sing  a  psalm." 

"  Who  '11  bear  the  pall," 
"  We,"  said  the  Wren, 
Both  the  Cock  and  the  Hen; 

"  We  '11  bear  the  pall." 


"Who'll  toll  the  bell? 
"  I,"  said  the  Bull, 
"  Because  I  can  pull." 

So  Cock  Robin  farewell. 

All  the  birds  of  the  air 

Fell  to  sighing  and  sobbing 

When  they  heard  the  bell  toll 
For  poor  Cock  Robin. 


Three  children  sliding  on  the  ice. 

Upon  a  summer's  day  ; 
As  it  fell  out,  they  all  fell  in, 

The  rest  they  ran  away. 

Now  had  these  children  been  at  home. 

Or  sliding  on  dry  ground. 
Ten  thousand  pounds  to  one  penny, 

They  had  not  all  been  drown'd. 

You  parents  all  that  children  have. 
And  you  that  have  got  none, 

If  you  would  keep  them  safe  abroad. 
Pray  keep  them  safe  at  home. 
156 


Rhythmic  Arts 

What  are  little  boys  made  of,  made  of; 

What  are  Httle  boys  made  of? 

"  Snaps  and  snails,  and  puppy-dogs'  tails ; 

And  that 's  what  little  boys  are  made  of,  made  of." 

What  are  little  girls  made  of,  made  of ; 

What  are  little  girls  made  of? 

"  Sugar  and  spice,  and  all  that 's  nice ; 

And  that 's  what  little  girls  are  made  of,  made  of." 


Goosey,  goosey,  gander. 

Where  shall  I  wander? 
Upstairs,  downstairs, 

And  in  my  lady's  chamber. 

There  I  met  an  old  man 

That  would  not  say  his  prayers : 
I  took  him  by  the  left  leg. 

And  threw  him  downstairs. 


The  Queen  of  Hearts, 
She  made  some  tarts. 

All  on  a  summer's  day; 
The  Knave  of  Hearts, 
He  stole  those  tarts, 

And  took  them  clean  away. 

The  King  of  Hearts 
Called  for  the  tarts, 

And  beat  the  Knave  full  sore; 
The  Knave  of  Hearts 
Brought  back  the  tarts, 

And  vowed  he  'd  steal  no  more. 


Child  Training 

Sneeze  on  Monday,  sneeze  for  danger; 
Sneeze  on  Tuesday,  kiss  a  stranger; 
Sneeze  on  Wednesday,  get  a  letter; 
Sneeze  on  Thursday,  something  better; 
Sneeze  on  Friday,  sneeze  for  sorrow ; 
Sneeze  on  Saturday,    joy    to-morrow. 


If  wishes  were  horses, 
Beggars  would  ride ; 

If  turnips  were  watches, 
I  'd  wear  one  by  my  side. 


Solomon  Grundy, 
Born  on  Monday, 
Christened  on  Tuesday, 
Married  on  Wednesday, 
Took  ill  on  Thursday, 
Worse  on  Friday, 
Died  on  Saturday, 
Buried  on  Sunday. 
This  is  the  end 
Of   Solomon   Grundy. 


Peter  White  will  ne'er  go  right, 
Would  you  know  the  reason  why? 

He  follows  his  nose  where'er  he  goes, 
And  that  stands  all  awry. 


If  all  the  seas  were  one  sea, 
What  a  great  sea  that  would  be ! 
And  if  all  the  trees  were  one  tree, 
What  a  great  tree  that  would  be ! 

158 


Rhythmic  Arts 

And  if  all  the  axes  were  one  axe, 
What  a  great  axe  that  would  be  1 
And  if  all  the  men  were  one  man, 
What  a  great  man  he  would  be ! 
And  if  the  great  man  took  the  great  axe, 
And  cut  down  the  great  tree, 
And  let  it  fall  into  the  great  sea, 
What  a  splish  splash  that  would  be! 


There  was  a  little  man, 

And  he  had  a  little  gun. 

And  his  bullets  were  made  of  lead,  lead,  lead; 

He  went  to  the  brook 

And  he  saw  a  Httle  duck. 

And  he  shot  it  right  through  the  head,  head,  head. 

He  carried  it  home 

To  his  old  wife  Joan, 

And  bid  her  a  fire  for  to  make,  make,  make ; 

To  roast  the  Httle  duck 

He  had  shot  in  the  brook. 

And  he  'd  go  and  fetch  her  the  drake,  drake,  drake. 


For  want  of  a  nail,  the  shoe  was  lost ; 
For  want  of  the  shoe,  the  horse  was  lost; 
For  want  of  the  horse,  the  rider  was  lost; 
For  want  of  the  rider,  the  battle  was  lost; 
For  want  of  the  battle,  the  kingdom  was  lost; 
And  all  from  the  want  of  a  horseshoe  nail. 


For  every  evil  under  the  sun. 
There  is  a  remedy,  or  there  is  none. 

159 


Child  Training 

If  there  be  one,  try  and  find  it; 
If  there  be  none,  never  mind  it. 


SONGS 

The  following  songs  have  been  found  to  be  the  ones 
most  appreciated  by  children  of  four  to  six  and  best 
suited  to  them.  They  should,  of  course,  be  taught  by 
rote,  the  children  learning  to  sing  them  after  the 
teacher.  Action  Songs  —  those  that  are  illustrated 
by  motion  and  gesture  —  are  most  delighted  in. 

From  "  Songs  of  a  Little  Child's  Day,"  by  Emilie  Pouls- 
son  and  Eleanor  Smith 
Brave 
Useful 
Polite 

Morning  Hymn 
Sunshine  Far  and  Near 
Good  Weather 
The  Bold  Snowman 
To  a  Snowflake 
The  Autumn  Wind 
The  Busy  Wind 
The  First  Bouquet 
Choosing  a  Flower 
The  Cackling  Hen 
The  Lordly  Cock 
Minding  Their  Mother 
Bossy  Cow 
Milk  for  Supper 
The  Shell 

t6o 


Rhythmic  Arts 

Whirlabout 

Play  in  all  Seasons 

A  Little  Dancing  Song 

The  Train 

If  You  were  a  Flower 

The  Friendly  Dark 

From   "  The  Most   Popular  Mother   Goose  Songs  and 
Other  Nursery  Rhymes," 

By  Carrie  Bullard 

Little  Bo-Peep 

When  the  Snow  is  on  the  Ground 

The  King  of  France 

Georgie  Porgie 

Hey,  Diddle,  Diddle 

Ride  a  Cock-Horse  to  Banbury  Cross 

Twinkle,  Little  Star 

Bean  Porridge  Hot 

From  "  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  Songs,"  by  Ethel 
Crowninshield 

Singing 

The  Land  of  Counterpane 

Marching  Song 

My  Shadow 

Time  to  Rise 

The  Lamplighter 

Picture  Books  in  Winter 

My  Treasures 

Block  City 


i6i 


Child  Training 

From  "  Songs  of  Happiness,"  by  C.  S.  Bailey  and  M.  B. 

Ehrmann 

Good  Morning 
The  Baker 
Content,  etc. 

From  "The  Modern   Music   Series,"   First  Book.     By 
Eleanor  Smith 

Marching  Song  —  Bring  the  Comb 
Little  Baby  Do  You  Hear 
Good  Night  to  the  Flowers 

Other  good  books  of  songs  for  very  young  children 


are 


Mother  Goose  Songs  for  Little  Ones,  by  Ethel 
Crowninshield. 

More  Mother  Goose  Songs,  by  Ethel  Crownin- 
shield. 

Folk  Songs  and  Other  Songs  for  Children,  by  J. 
B.  Radcliffe- Whitehead. 

Songs  of  the  Child-World,  by  A.  C.  D.  Riley  and 
Jessie  L.  Gaynor.     Books  I  and  H. 

SINGING   GAMES 

Singing  games  are  as  old  as  childhood.  They  break 
out  sporadically  wherever  children  gather  together. 
The  old  traditional  games  have  been  handed  down 
from  one  childish  generation  to  another  without  ap- 
parently any  teaching  or  suggestion  from  grown-ups. 
Sorry  is  the  child  whose  lot  has  been  so  cast  that  he 

162 


Rhythmic  Arts 

has  grown  up  without  ever  having  passed  through 
those  halcyon  hours  that  were  spent  playing  "  Farmer 
in  the  Dell,"  "  King  William,"  or  "  London  Bridge." 

The  most  popular  and  suitable  games  of  this  kind 
for  children  are  described  with  words  and  music  in 
"  Children's  Old  and  New  Singing  Games,"  by  Mari  R. 
Hofer,  and  some  of  them  also  in  *'  The  Most  Popular 
Mother  Goose  Songs,  etc.,"  by  Carrie  Bullard. 

They  are : 

Farmer  in  the  Dell 

Here  We  Go  Round  the  Mulberry  Bush 

In  the  Spring 

King  William 

Looby  Loo 

London  Bridge 

The  Musician 

The  Needle's  Eye 

Oats,  Peas,  Beans  and  Barley 

The  Shepherdess 

Character  Dance 

Punchinello 

Round  and  Round  the  Village 

FOLK    DANCES 

The  Folk  Dances  best  adapted  to  teaching  children 
are  described  with  music  by  Burchenal,  and  there  are 
graphophone  records  of  the  music  of  most  of  them. 

Klappdans Swedish  Folk  Dance 

Bleking    Swedish  Folk  Dance 

163 


Child  Training 

Tarantella Italian  Folk  Dance 

The  Ace  of  Diamonds Danish  Folk  Dance 

Fjallnaspolska  —  Mountain  Polka .  Swedish   Folk  Dance 

Morriss  Dance English  Folk  Dance 

Hansel  and  Gretel German  Folk  Dance 

Shoemaker's  Dance Danish  Folk  Dance 


164 


Rhythmic  Arts 


HEY,  DIDDLE  DIDDLE.* 

.  Allegro.  J.  W.  Elliott. 


Hey,  did-dle,  did-dle,  The  cat  and  the  fid  -  die,  The  cow  jump'd  o-ver  the   moon ; 


^!^gipg^4j^^5^^^^^r?r^S 


The  lit  -  tie  dog  laughed  to  see  such  sport,  And  the  dish  ran  af  -  ter  the  spoon. 


LITTLE  BO-PEEP.* 


Lit- tie  Bo-Peep,  she    lost    her  sheep,  And  did-n't  know  where  to  find  them; 

2.  Lit- tie  Bo-Peep  fell     fast        a-sleep,  And  dreamt  she  heard  them  bleat-ing  ;  But 

3.  Then  up  she  took  her     lit   -    tie  crook,  De  -  ter  -  mined   for        to  find  them,  She 
happened  one  day    as  Bo-Peep  did  stray  In  -  to  a   meadow  hard  by,. .. . 

heaved     a   sigh  and  wiped    her  eye,  Then  went  o'er    hill    and   dale,....  And 


Let  them  a- lone,  they'll    all  come  home.  And  bring  their  tails   be-hind  them, 
when  she    a-woke,    she  found    it    a    j<-)ke.  For    they  were   still      a  -  fleet-  ing. 
found  them  indeed,but  it  made  her  heart  bleed  For  they'd  left  their  tails  behind  them.  4.  It 
There  she  es-pied    their  tails  side  by  side.  All  hung  on  a        tree      to    dry.     5.  She 
tried  what  she  could,  as  a  shepherdess  should,  To  tack  to  each  sheep  its  tail .... 


Jane  Taylor 

Not  too  slow. 


TWINKLE,  LITTLE  STAR.* 


French  Air. 


Twin -kle,  twin -kle,    lit  -  tie  star:    How      I     won-der  what  you    are, 

2.  Wlien  the  blaz  -  ing    sun      is  gone,  When   he     noth  -  ing  shines  up      on, 

3.  Then   the  trav  - 'ler      in     the  dark  Thanks  you  for    your    ti   -   ny   spark; 

4.  In     the  dark  blue   sky     you  keep.  While  you  thro'  my    win  -  dow   peep. 


Up       a  -  bove    the  world   so     high.  Like     a       dia-mond    in     the     sky! 

Then   you   show  your     lit  -tie     light,  Twi- light,  twin- kle      all     the  night. 

He  could  not  see  which  way    to       go,  If     you     did    not    twin -kle      so. 

And  you    uev  -  er     shut  your    eye,  Till    the    sun     is       in     the     sky. 


Twin -kle,   twin -kle,    lit-  tie     star.      How    I      won-der   what  you     are. 


165 


Child  Training 

FARMER  m  THE  DELL.* 


High        oh       the      der  -   ry 

2  The  fanner  takes  a  wife, 

3  The  wife  takes  a  child, 

4  The  child  takes  the  nurse, 

5  The  nurse  takes  the  dog, 


oh 


The     farm  -  er        in        the     dell. 

6  The  dog  takes  the  cat, 

7  The  cat  takes  the  rat, 

8  The  rat  takes  the  cheese, 
g  The  cheese  stands  alone. 


Directions.— One^  child,  the  farmer,  stands  in  the  center  of  circle,  and  at  the  smging 
of  first  verse,  chooses  another,  "  the  wife,"  from  the  circle ;  this  one,  in  turn,  chooses 
the  next,  and  so  on  untU  the  "cheese"  is  clapped  out,  and  must  begm  agam  as  the 
farmer. 

HERE  WE  60  ROUND  THE  MULBERRY  BUSH.* 


mul  -  ber  -  ry     bush,     the    mul  -  ber  -  ry     bush,     Here  we      go  round     the 
wash...     our  clothes,  we      wash...    our  clothes,   This    is     the    way       we 


mul  -  ber  -  ry      bush,       So      ear 
wash....      our   clothes,    So       ear 

3  This  is  the  way  we  iron  our  clothes,  &c. 

So  early  Tuesday  morning. 

4  This  is  the  way  we  scrub  the  floor,  &c. 
So  early  Wednesday  morning. 


in....     the     mom     -     ing. 
Mon  -   day     morn     -     ing. 


6  This  ts  the  way  we  sweep  the  house,  &c. 

So  early  Friday  morning. 

7  This  IS  the  way  we  bake  our  bread,  &c. 
So  early  Saturday  morning. 


e  This  IS  the  way  we  mend  our  clothes,  &c.    8  This  is  the  way  we  go  to  church,  &c. 
So  early  Thursday  morning.  So  early  Sunday  morning. 

Directions  —  The  game  consists  in  simply  suiting  the  actions  to  the  words. 

..,i.;:i^'^:^^"rr;;'^!^.'ijr?;u.i'irjr^^f^.;'^^^  %  a^:«"^"  "^'^"^^^-- 

Di*d  b;  ipecial  permiuion, 

1 66 


Rhythmic  Arts 


BRAVE.t 


Emilie  Poulsson. 

Allegro  moderato. 


Eleanor  Smith. 


Hur-rah  for   Bob  -  by  Bum-ble!       He    nev  -  er  minds  a     tum-ble,      But 
^^poco  rit.f-^        a  tempo. 


up       he   jumps  And  rubs    his  bumps  And  does  -  n't       ev   -   en   grum-ble. 


USEFUL,  t 


Emilib  Poulsson. 

A  llegretto. 


Eleanor  Smith. 


3E=EE=S= 


^ 


-4>> ^- 


^3d^^5EE| 


I.  He  brings  his       fa-ther's  slip  -  pers,  Picks  up     the      ba  -  by's  toys; 
a.  On       er  -  rands   for     his    moth  -  er,     He    scam- pers     up     and  down; 


He    shuts    the    door    for  Grand  -  ma    With  •  out       a      bit       of    noise. 
She   vows   she  would  not  change    him      For      all      the   boys     in    townl 


Emilib  Poulsson. 
^      mf  Allegretto. 

JS3Z — a_( 


POLITE,  t 


Eleanor  Smith. 


-^: 


-Er- 


^^E^i£ 


I.  Oh,  who's     the  friend  -  ly      lit    -    tie    chap    That     al  -  ways  thinks    to 
3.  Who  jumps     so   quick  -   ly      to        his    feet,       If       a    -    ny      la    -    dy 


lift         his     cap,     And    says  "Good-mom  -  ing,"  says  "  Good-night?" 'Tis 
needs        a      leat.       As     cour  -  teous      as  a        gal   -    lant  knight? 'Tis 


^^^^^g^^ 


Paul    Po- lite!  'Tis  Paul    Po-lite.    Three     cheers  for  Paul    Po-litel 


167 


Child  Training 

MY  SHADOW.! 


1.  I     have      a        lit   -  tie    shad  -  ow    that  goes      in      and    out  with    me, 

2.  The   fun- niest  thing      a  -  bout  him      is      the     way      he    likes    to     grow 


And  what  can     be     the      use      of     him     is    more  than       I      can      see. 
Not  at    all    like   prop  -  er      chil-  dren  which  is        al  -  ways     ve   -   ry     slow  ; 


He   is    ve   -   ry,       ve   -   ry     like      me    from    the   heels    up       to     the   head; 
For  he  sometimes  shoots  up     tall  -   er      like      an       in-  dia-rub-ber    ball, 


=i^ 


:ls=qv: 


1^1 


And      I       see    him  jump   be  -  fore    me,  when     I     jump    in    -  to      my    bed. 
And    he    sometimes  gets    so      lit  -  tie    that  there's  none  of    him     at      all. 


TIME  TO  RISE.t 


„      Quickly. 

\^hr^ — M 

:^^. _v, J J_ 

v=-\ =1 q 

4)b4_^__ 

1 — h       -^           •    ■- — J 

L>        i        J=^ 

bird 


yel 


bill 


Hopped    up  -    on       the       wind  -  ow       sill,        Cocked     hi'^       shin    -   ing 


eye        and        said :        "Ain't        you   'shamed,    you       sleep    -    y        head!" 


t  •'  Braye,"  "  Useful,"  *'  Polite  "  are  frem  "  Songs  of  a  Little  Child's  Day."     "My  Shadow  *'  and  "  Time  to  Riae" 
Ite  from  "  llobcrt  Louis  Steyensou  Bones,"  both  published  by  Milton  Bradley  Company.    Used  by  special  permission. 

1 68 


PART  VI 
FREE  PLAY 

Free  Play  should  be  free  play,  that  is  the  children 
should  have  free  choice  of  the  play  and  the  teacher 
should  mix  in  it  as  little  as  possible,  taking  merely 
the  part  of  an  adviser. 

Children  under  six  would  rather  play  with  each 
other  than  with  a  grown-up  and  this  characteristic 
preference  should  be  regarded. 

However,  children  need  to  learn  what  to  play  and 
how  to  play,  in  order  that  they  may  have  play  resources 
and  also  acquire  habits  of  fair  play,  unselfishness,  jus- 
tice, honesty,  self-control,  etc.,  and  the  teacher  must, 
therefore,  be  ready  at  hand  to  advise  and  supervise. 

The  play  at  this  time  should,  however,  be  only  such 
as  the  children  enjoy  and  would  select  if  left  to  them- 
selves. 

Nature  is  not  to  be  encouraged,  however,  simply  be- 
cause it  is  nature,  for  what  is  natural  is  not  necessarily 
by  any  means  always  right.  It  is  natural  for  a  child 
to  want  to  slide  down  the  banisters  —  but  dangerous 
and  hence  improper.  But  eliminate  the  danger  in  slid- 
ing down  the  banisters ;  convert  a  banister  into  a  trough 

171 


Child  Training 

—  a  sliding  board  with  protective  sides  and  we  utilize 
the  love  of  the  child  for  this  sort  of  sport,  to  give  him 
certain  physical  training  that  is  desirable. 

Pillow  fighting  and  jumping  on  a  spring  bed  are 
forms  of  athletic  amusement  that  delight  the  child's 
heart,  but  they  are  tabooed  —  not  because  there  is  any 
harm  in  them  themselves,  but  because  they  may  do 
harm  to  the  furniture.  But  the  harmful  element  may 
be  extracted  and  the  joy  still  remain. 

A  child  likes  to  walk  a  railway  track,  he  will  prefer 
it  every  time  to  the  path  alongside.  Take  him  out  for 
an  afternoon  stroll  and  if  there  is  a  wall  alongside  the 
road  he  will  be  sure  to  choose  the  wall  to  walk  on. 
Leave  him  alone  in  the  back  yard  and  if  he  can  climb 
to  the  top  of  the  fence  he  will  soon  be  walking  along 
it,  in  imitation  of  the  cat.  These  are  exercises  in 
poise  and  balance  and  bring  into  play  muscles  that 
should  be  co-ordinated  and  developed.  The  menace 
of  a  train  or  a  tumble  from  the  fence  makes  the  child's 
desire  for  this  form  of  exercise,  in  most  cases  pro- 
hibitive, but  have  a  rail  in  the  home,  yard  or  school 
for  him  or  provide  a  low,  a  very  low  imitation  fence 
and  the  danger  being  eliminated,  the  maximum  physi- 
cal good  is  obtained  by  allowing  him  to  follow  his 
natural  impulses. 

What  boy  can  resist  kicking  a  stray  tin  can  or  burst- 
ing a  paper  bag?  Elevate  the  tin  can  and  when  he 
kicks  it  he  kicks  his  leg  muscles  into  development. 

172 


Free  Play 

What  child  can  naturally  refrain  from  striking  any 
bell  within  reach  ?  He  loves  to  see  or  hear  the  results 
of  his  activity.  Make  him  exercise  the  muscles  of  his 
calves  in  gratifying  this  natural  desire;  suspend  bells 
in  a  row  just  out  of  reach  and  have  him  run  and 
jump  to  strike  them. 

With  the  first  snow  fall  how  many  slides  are  made 
by  children  on  the  slippery  sidewalks  and  streets, 
a  menace  to  the  pedestrian  and  an  invitation  to  the 
householder  to  spread  ashes!  Wax  a  dressed  plank, 
lay  it  on  the  groimd  and  you  provide  a  slide  that  the 
child  may  use  the  year  round.  Care  should  be  taken 
that  the  plank  lies  flat  and  is  fastened  down  so  that 
it  will  not  swirl  around  or  endanger  the  slider. 

What  child  has  not  had  to  be  admonished  for  jump- 
ing on  the  mattress  of  his  bed  —  and  why?  Only  be- 
cause it  worked  injury  to  the  spring  or  soiled  the  bed- 
ding. Give  him  an  old  mattress  for  his  playground,  or 
if  this  is  not  feasible,  fasten  a  strong  but  springy  plank 
at  each  end  to  a  low  support  and  he  may  imitate  a  grass- 
hopper or  bullfrog  to  his  heart's  content. 

In  the  same  way  analyze  the  child's  other  play  in- 
terests and  likes,  extract  the  essence  and  eliminate 
the  part  that  makes  harmful,  dangerous  or  worthless 
that  which  is  otherwise  beneficial. 

Free  Plays  may  be  divided  into  four  classes : 

I.  Athletic  Plays  —  those  that  are  marked  by  physi- 
cal activity. 

173 


Child  Training 

2.  Manual  Plays  —  those  that  are  in  the  nature  of 
hand  occupations. 

3.  Imitative  Plays  —  those  that  imitate  such  activi- 
ties, as  playing  horse,  store,  etc. 

4.  Games  —  that  is,  plays  that  have  the  spirit  of 
contest.  They  appeal  most  strongly  to  an  older  age, 
where  they  more  properly  belong  and  are  seldom  en- 
tered into  at  this  age  without  direction.  They  are, 
therefore,  only  partly  "  free." 

ATHLETIC    PLAYS 

For  the  Athletic  Plays  all  that  is  necessary  or 
even  advisable,  is  to  provide  the  materials  or  apparatus 
with  a  suggestion  or  explanation  as  to  their  proper 

use. 

A  Sliding  Board.  A  smooth  plank  of  maple  or  non- 
splintering  material  16  feet  long,  supported  at  an  angle 
of  about  30  degrees  and  reached  by  a  ladder  or  steps. 
The  child  should  be  clad  in  rompers,  or  clothes  that  will 
not  be  injured  by  wear.  Protective  board  sides  that 
convert  the  slide  into  a  chute,  or  banister  rails  add  to 
the  safety  of  the  sport,  especially  as  upon  acquaintance 
the  child  is  prone  to  go  down  head  foremost  or  stand- 
ing up. 

A  High  Rail.  A  strip  of  2  x  4  or  a  low  fence  — 
a  joist  or  2  inch  plank  set  on  edge  —  for  "  tight-rope  " 
walking. 

A  Jumping-Off  Place.     A  height  from  which  the 

174 


Free  Play 

child  can  jump  into  hay  or  straw  beneath,  without 
danger  of  injury. 

A  Spring  Board  or  spring  mattress.  A  strong  board 
supported  and  made  fast  at  each  end  by  a  box  about  a 
foot  high,  or  a  discarded  bed  mattress. 

A  Wallow.  A  square  of  canvas  twelve  feet  or  more, 
supported  and  raised  at  each  corner  about  two  or 
three  feet  high,  so  that  the  sag  will  not  touch  the 
ground,  in  which  the  child  can  roll  and  wallow  to  his 
heart's  content. 

A  Trapeze  and  a  Horizontal  Bar  with  mat  beneath, 
on  which  the  child  may  hang,  chin  himself,  swing  and 
gyrate. 

A  Pair  ai  Soft  Pillows  to  be  used  for  pillow  fights. 

A  Ball.     A  foot  ball  or  basket  ball  is  best. 

A  Foot  Slide.  A  waxed  board  on  the  ground, 
fastened  so  that  it  will  not  swing  round,  or  with  one 
end  slightly  elevated  so  that  the  child  can  coast  erect. 

Suspended  Bells.  Cow  bells  hung  so  that  the  child 
can  strike  them  only  by  jumping  for  them. 

Stilts.  Made  of  two  tin  cans  through  the  top  of 
each  of  which  two  holes  have  been  punched  and  cord  or 
thin  rope  inserted  to  form  a  loop  which  the  child  may 
hold  in  each  hand  while  walking  with  a  foot  on  each 
can. 

A  Swing. 

A  Rope.     Suspended  so  that  the  child  can  climb  it. 

A  Trolley.  Fasten  a  twenty-five  to  fifty  foot  length 
175 


Child  Training 

of  34  irich  wire,  or  woven  wire  cable  between  two 
points  so  that  the  lower  end  is  within  reach  of  the 
ground  and  the  other  high  enough  to  give  a  sufficient 
incline.  Place  on  the  wire  a  trolley  wheel  from  whicli 
you  have  suspended  a  cross  stick  that  can  be  grasped 
and  a  trailing  rope.  The  child  drags  the  trolley  wheel 
by  the  trolley  rope  to  the  highest  point  of  the  wire, 
mounts  a  platform  or  box  that  raises  him  within  reach 
of  the  cross  bar,  which  he  then  grasps  and  is  carried 
by  gravity  down  the  wire  till  his  feet  touch  the  ground. 

A  Jumping  Rope.  Twelve  or  fifteen  feet  of  long 
rope  for  jumping  and  for  Tug  of  War. 

A  Teeter,  or  See-Saw. 

Hoops. 

A  Horizontal  Ladder  raised  overhead,  on  the  rounds 
of  which  the  child  may  swing  himself  along  by  his 
hands. 

A  Merry-Go-Round.  A  rather  elaborate  but  very 
successful  piece  of  apparatus,  consisting  of  two  or  more 
go-cart  seats,  which  the  child  puts  in  motion  round  a 
center  by  pushing  and  pulling  with  his  hands  and  feet. 

A  Wheelbarrow,  Cart,  Shovel  and  Pail,  etc. 

MANUAL  PLAYS 

The  following  materials  suggest  the  activity. 
Blackboard  or  paper  for  drawing,  and  crayon,  pen- 
cil, etc. 

Water  colors  for  painting. 
176 


Free  Play 

Paper  and  scissors   for  cutting. 

Clay  for  making  "  mud  pies  "  and  modeling. 

Beads  for  stringing. 

A  bent  tube  or  pipe  —  the  broad  opening  edged  with 
a  scalloped  cloth  band  —  for  blowing  bubbles.  A  good 
mixture  for  blowing  bubbles  is  soap  suds  and  water  to 
which  about  one-third  of  its  quantity  of  glycerine  has 
been  added. 

IMITATIVE    PLAYS 

The  imitative  plays  are  far  the  most  appealing  to 
children  under  nine,  and  to  girls  even  older.  Imitat- 
ing grown-up  activities  —  such  as  keeping  house,  cook- 
ing, keeping  store,  running  an  ofhce,  teaching  school, 
calling,  will  entertain  and  engross  children  for  weeks 
at  a  time,  when  they  would  tire  of  any  and  every 
game. 

The  only  precaution  to  be  taken  is  that  children  imi- 
tate only  the  wholesome  or  unobjectionable.  They 
should  not  be  allowed  to  imitate  smoking,  intoxicated 
persons,  cripples,  etc.  Some  parents  think  lightly  of 
allowing  a  child  to  pretend  to  "  smoke  "  a  pencil  or 
their  father's  pipe,  to  play  robbers,  or  even  a  funeral. 
Such  pretense  cannot  be  of  any  good  and  may  do  much 
harm  by  way  of  mental  suggestion,  as  well  as  in  other 
ways.  I  knew  of  a  parent  who  left  her  children  play- 
ing robbers  and  returned  in  the  nick  of  time  to  find  the 
"  robber "  with  o  rope  tied  round  his  neck  and  the 

177 


Child  Training 

other  end  swung  over  an  attic  beam,  just  about  to  be 
hung ! 

Provide  the  follow^ing  materials,  for  the  rest,  usually 
a  suggestion  what  to  play  is  all  that  is  necessary. 

Dolls,  Doll  House,  Doll  Carriage.      (For  girls  only.) 

Old  clothes  with  plenty  of  safety  pins  for  dressing 
up. 

A  Sand  Pile  —  preferably  of  clean  sea  sand,  with 
bucket,  shovel,  boxes,  cake  forms,  etc.,  a  plasterer's 
trowel  for  building  houses,  villages,  etc. 

Large  blocks  the  size  of  ordinary  building  bricks 
and  miscellaneous  materials  for  building  houses,  forts, 
trains,  etc. 

Toy  furniture  —  chairs,  tables,  beds,  bureaus, 
pianos,  stoves,  flat  irons,  brooms,  tubs,  wash  board, 
dishes,  etc. 

Toy  Soldiers. 

Toy  Animals. 

A  Play  House  belonging  to  the  children  alone, 
equipped  in  every  part  as  for  grown-ups,  but  on  a 
diminutive  scale  —  not  a  toy  house  but  one  into  which 
the  child  could  go  and  "  live  and  move  and  have  his 
being  "  in  imitation  of  all  the  activities  of  his  elders  — 
would  be  an  ideal  setting  for  the  child's  imitative  play 
activities. 

Other  imitative  plays  for  which  special  apparatus  is 
unnecessary  or  can  be  improvised  are : 

Playing  house,  store,  conductor,  horse,  bear,  In- 
178 


Free  Play 

dians,  firemen,  blacksmith,  school,  doctor,  circus,  sol- 
dier, etc. 

GAMES   WITHOUT   APPARATUS 

Tag.  One  child  who  is  called  "  It  "  or  "  Old  Man," 
tries  to  tag  any  one  of  the  others  he  can  catch  and 
hold,  till  he  counts  three.  The  one  tagged  or  caught 
then  becomes  "  It."  Usually  there  is  one  or  more 
bases  agreed  upon,  such  as  a  box,  post  or  wall. 
One  cannot  be  caught  or  tagged  while  he  is  touching 
base.  "  It  "  is  usually  selected  by  some  counting-out 
rime,  such  as  the  following.  One  child  says  the  rime, 
pointing  to  each  child  in  turn  from  left  to  right  in- 
cluding himself,  with  each  accented  word  and  the  one 
pointed  to  with  the  final  word  becomes  "  It." 

Eeny,  meeny,  miney  mo, 
Catch  a  lobster  by  the  toe, 
If  he  hollers,  let  him  go, 
Eeny,  meeny,  miney  mo ! 

Cat  and  Rat.  Children  hold  hands  in  a  ring  while 
one  child  on  the  outside,  called  the  cat,  tries  to  catch 
another  child  on  the  inside,  called  the  rat.  Those 
forming  the  ring  try  to  prevent  the  cat  from  getting 
into  the  ring,  by  lowering  their  arms  or  otherwise  ob- 
structing his  passage,  or,  if  he  has  succeeded  in  getting 
in,  they  open  the  way  for  the  rat  to  escape  and  try  to 
keep  the  cat  in. 

179 


Child  Training 

Hide  and  Seek.  One  child  who  is  "  It "  shuts  his 
eyes  in  his  hands  at  base,  while  the  others  hide.  "  It  " 
or  the  "  Old  Man  "  either  counts  to  a  certain  number 
or  is  told  when  the  hiders  are  ready.  He  then  searches 
for  them,  and  they  try  to  run  in  and  touch  base  before 
he  spies  them  out,  saying  "  I  spy  "  and  touches  base. 
The  first  one  caught  becomes  "  It  "  and  the  others  come 
in   free. 

Snake.  The  children  are  seated  in  a  circle  with 
"  It "  in  the  center.  "  It  "  has  a  handkerchief  which 
he  tosses  over  his  back  upon  a  child.  The  child  on 
whom  it  falls  immediately  tries  to  toss  it  on  to  another 
child  in  the  circle  before  "  It  "  can  tag  him.  If  "  It  " 
succeeds  in  tagging  any  child  while  the  handkerchief  is 
on  any  part  of  his  body  the  child  so  tagged  becomes 
"  It." 

Pussy  Wants  a  Corner.  All  the  children  except  the 
one  who  is  "  Pussy  "  stand  in  corners,  or  on  a  marked 
spot.  They  try  to  exchange  "  corners "  with  each 
other  while  "  Pussy  "  goes  from  one  to  the  other  say- 
ing, "  Pussy  wants  a  corner."  If  "  Pussy  "  succeeds 
in  getting  into  a  corner  before  an  exchange  is  made  the 
one  left  out  becomes  "  Pussy." 

Going  to  Jerusalem.  Chairs  —  one  less  than  the 
number  of  children  —  are  placed  in  a  row  facing  alter- 
nately one  side  and  the  other.  The  children  then 
march  round  the  chairs  while  music  plays,  or  the  teacher 
sings  or  counts.     The  instant  the  music  stops  they  drop 

1 80 


Free  Play 

into  a  seat  and  the  child  left  without  a  seat  goes  to 
one  side.  A  chair  is  removed,  the  music  starts,  the 
march  is  continued,  the  music  stops,  and  so  on,  till  only 
one  chair  and  two  children  are  left.  When  the  music 
finally  stops  the  one  seated  wins. 

GAMES    WITH    APPARATUS 

The  following  games  usually  need  to  be  directed  or 
started  by  an  older  child  or  by  the  teacher,  but  the 
children  should  be  encouraged  to  play  games  inde- 
pendently, always,  however,  with  care  and  precision 
and  endeavor  to  improve.  If  they  "  fool  "  and  do  not 
observe  the  strict  rules  of  the  game,  the  privilege 
should  be  denied  them. 

Quoits.  Have  the  children  play  quoits,  using  rings 
of  rope  and  stakes  fitted  into  a  wooden  base  for  goals. 
Have  them  keep  the  score  accurately. 

Bean  Bag.  Have  the  children  play  "  bean  bag " 
with  a  board  of  three  holes  valued  at  i,  2,  3  points, 
respectively,  and  keep  their  own  score,  ten  points  being 
the  game. 

Ten-Pins.  Have  the  children  play  shuffle  board  or 
ten-pins,  keeping  their  own  score  and  taking  turns  at 
setting  up  the  men   in  their  proper  positions. 


181 


Photosrapli  by  Bachrach 

MANUAL  TRAINING 
"Paper  Lantern   and  Pinwheel"— Developing  skill,  accuracy,  industry,  etc. 


PART  VII 
MANUAL  TRAINING  AND  OCCUPATIONS 

This  period  is  divided  into  two  classes  of  manual 
activities  —  i.  Manual  Training,  consisting  of  more 
or  less  formal  exercises  and  2.  Occupations  which 
are  of  the  nature  of  adult  work. 

AIMS 

In  executing  the  different  models  it  should  be  con- 
stantly borne  in  mind  that  the  real  object  of  the  work 
is  not  the  product  of  the  child's  hands  but  the  effect 
on  the  child  himself;  not  the  drawing  or  painting  but 
the  ability  to  make  things  well ;  not  the  petty  toys  or 
gifts  which  are  intrinsically  valueless,  but  the  skill, 
craftsmanship,  handiness  the  child  acquires  by  making 
them.  Whether  the  four-year-old  is  some  day  to  be 
a  carpenter  or  an  architect,  a  chauffeur  or  an  engineer, 
a  plumber  or  a  printer,  a  surgeon  or  a  painter,  a  mech- 
anician or  a  pianist,  or  follow  any  of  a  hundred  other 
pursuits,  these  manual  lessons  prepare  him,  starting 
him  with  the  fundamentals,  for  though  the  time  may 
seem  far  ahead — art  is  long.  The  exercises  are  made 
concrete  because  they  appeal  to  the  child,  for  where 
there  is  such  interest  the  reflex  effect  is  much  greater 
than  otherwise.     But  the  entire  object  is  to  make  him 

185 


child  Training 

handy,  dexterous,  quick,  deft,  neat,  orderly,  clever 
imaginative,  resourceful,  interested,  observant,  reason- 
able, inventive,  persistent,  industrious,  independent. 
This  is  a  formidable  list  of  virtues,  but  surely  worth 
while  objects  in  themselves  and  each  exercise  con- 
tributes in  some  degree  to  the  realization  of  these 
objects,  no  matter  if  the  objective  thing  produced  is 
immediately  destroyed  or  thrown  into  the  waste  basket 
as  rubbish — which  it  undoubtedly  is.  This  should  not, 
however,  be  its  immediate  fate  for  the  effect  on  the 
child  of  doing  so  would  be  to  discourage  him,  making 
his  efforts  seem  futile  and  further  effort  not  worth 
while.  The  following  points  should,  therefore,  be  con- 
stantly borne  in  mind  by  the  teacher  and  exacted  of 
the  children  in  all  their  work. 

Order.  Each  day  they  should  set  everything  in  or- 
der and  put  away  each  thing  in  its  proper  place  after 
finishing. 

Neatness.  They  should  keep  all  their  work  spotless. 
Clean  hands  are  necessary.  Smudged,  soiled  or 
crumpled  work  should  be  done  over. 

Accuracy.  They  should  be  required  to  be  always 
as  accurate  and  exact  as  the  limitations  of  their  age 
and  skill  will  permit.  If  careless  or  slipshod  work  is 
accepted,  the  teacher  will  get  nothing  else  and  it  will 
grow  worse. 

Concentration.  They  should  "  work  while  they 
work  "  and  keep  steadily  at  it  till  finished.     The  en- 

i86 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

trance  of  the  cat,  the  fall  of  a  book,  the  ring  of  the 
door-bell  should  not  be  allowed  to  distract  their  atten- 
tion from  the  matter  in  hand. 

Independence.  They  should  do  their  work  with  as 
little  assistance  as  possible.  It  is  much  easier  to  help 
the  child  than  to  help  him  help  himself.  With  a  touch 
here  and  a  stroke  there  the  teacher  could  instantly  set 
him  straight  or  get  him  out  of  many  a  difficulty,  but  she 
should  restrain  her  itching  fingers  and  make  it  a  matter 
of  pride  with  each  one  to  be  able  to  say,  "  I  did  it  all 
myself." 

LEFT  HANDEDNESS 

Left  handedness  has  a  deep  seated,  physiological 
cause.  The  right  hand,  eye  and  foot  are  controlled 
by  the  left  hemisphere  of  the  brain  and  the  left  hand 
and  side  of  the  body  by  the  right  half  of  the  brain. 
What  it  is  that  gives  the  original  predisposition  to 
the  use  of  the  right  hand  has  never  satisfactorily  been 
explained  though  dozens  of  theories  have  been  ad- 
vanced. 

As  to  the  advisability  of  training  a  left  handed  child 
to  write  with  the  right  hand  there  is  also  much  con- 
trary opinion.  Dr.  Gould,  one  authority,  calls  it  "  a 
crime  to  force  a  change  to  the  right  hand."  Whereas 
Sir  Daniel  Wilson  another  authority,  and  himself  left 
handed,  advises  cultivating  free  use  of  the  right  hand 
without  discouraging  use  of  the  left. 

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Child  Training 

In  the  face  of  such  conflicting  opinion  the  best  ad- 
vice seems  to  be  this  : 

For  the  convenience  in  using  such  instruments  and 
articles  of  daily  life  as  are  standardized  for  the  right 
hand  it  is  well  to  make  use  of  this  hand  if  it  can  be  so 
trained  without  disarranging  mental  functions  or  mak- 
ing any  great  sacrifice. 

Now  the  bias  toward  either  hand  is  usually  slight  in 
early  life,  but  very  soon  becomes  a  habit  that  cannot 
safely  be  eradicated  as  the  brain  is  involved. 

At  the  very  first  sign  of  a  preference  for  either  hand, 
therefore,  the  child  should  be  told  to  offer  and  use  his 
right  hand.  Whenever  he  starts  to  use  his  left  hand 
do  not  let  him  do  so,  but  say,  "  No,  other  hand."  If, 
however,  this  constant  correction  has  apparently  no 
effect,  it  may  be  taken  as  a  sign  that  the  predilection 
is  too  deep  seated  to  be  uprooted  without  doing  damage 
or  affecting  mental  qualities,  and  should  the  child  reach 
the  age  for  beginning  to  write  after  long  but  unsuc- 
cessful endeavor  to  change  his  bias  to  the  right  hand, 
the  conclusion  is  that  it  is  too  deep  seated  to  be  safely 
eradicated. 

In  other  words  if  the  left  handedness  is  very  deeply 
marked  it  is  a  mistake  to  force  the  child  into  the  use 
of  the  right  hand  for  it  will  disturb  his  mental  func- 
tioning and  his  skill.  If,  however,  the  left  handedness 
is  not  deeply  marked  and  can  readily  be  changed  it  is 
best,  for  sake  of  the  minor  conveniences  and  to  avoid 

i88 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

awkwardness  in  daily  life,  to  cultivate  the  use  of  the 
right  hand  as  soon  as  the  opposite  tendency  shows  it- 
self —  not  wait  till  the  age  when  the  child  begins  to 
write. 

The  cultivation  of  ambidexterity,  that  is,  equal  skill 
with  both  hands,  is  now  generally  agreed  to  be  inadvisa- 
ble since  neither  hand  can  be  trained  to  as  high  a 
degree  of  skill  as  one;  both  hands  become  skilful  at 
the  expense  of  one.  In  other  words,  neither  the  right 
nor  the  left  hand  becomes  as  expert  if  both  are  trained 
as  either  the  right  or  left  would  alone. 


1S9 


MANUAL  TRAINING 


CLAY    WORK 


Lesson  i.  Ball,  Apple.  Give  each  child  a  piece 
of  clay  the  size  of  an  tgg  and  have  him  roll  it  into  as 
perfect  a  ball  as  he  can,  while  you  make  one  at  the 
same  time.  Always  while  the  children  are  working 
ask  them  questions  and  encourage  them  also  to  ask 
questions  about  the  things  they  are  making  and  the 
materials  they  are  using.  This  is  to  induce  an  inquir- 
ing state  of  mind  and  form  the  habit  of  being  inter- 
ested and  curious  about  everything  with  which  they 
are  brought  into  contact.  For  instance,  in  this  case 
such  questions  as  the  following  might  be  asked  and  an- 
swered : 

"  What  other  things  are  round,  like  a  ball  ?  " 

"  An  orange,  the  sun,"  etc. 

"  What  is  clay  made  from  ?  " 

"  Rotted  rock." 

"  What  is  made  from  clay?  " 

"  Bricks,  flower  pots  and  even  china,  by  baking  the 
clay." 

Then  have  them  convert  their  spheres  into  a  spher-. 
ical  fruit  —  an  apple,  by  flattening  two  opposite  sides, 

190 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

making  a  slight  depression  or  dimple  in  each  side  and 
inserting  a  short  stem.  Give  them  a  real  apple  for  a 
model,  if  possible,  and  discuss  with  them  the  kinds  of 
apples,  how  they  grow,  when  ripe,  uses,  etc.  Ask 
them  what  other  fruits  they  can  think  of  that  are 
round. 

Lesson  2.  Cube,  House.  Give  each  child  a  piece 
of  clay  the  size  of  an  tgg  and  have  him  roll  it  into  a 
ball.  Then  ask  him  to  raise  the  ball  above  the  tabk 
and  drop  it,  flattening  one  side  slightly.  Then  have 
him  pat  the  top  with  the  fingers,  press  the  right  side 
flat,  then  the  left  and  finally  the  front  and  back  to 
form  a  cube.  Avoid  as  much  as  possible  touching  the 
children's  cubes  and  have  them  follow  the  directions 
as  you  tell  them,  so  that  they  may  learn  to  know  the 
meaning  of  right  and  left,  top  and  bottom,  front  and 
back.  Ask  them  what  things  have  a  similar  shape  — 
a  box,  a  house,  a  lump  of  sugar,  etc.  Then  have  them 
convert  their  cubes  into  cubical  objects. 

Lesson  3.  Cylinder,  Drum.  Give  each  child  a 
piece  of  clay  as  before,  then  have  him  first  form  it  into 
a  ball,  then  by  rolling  this  ball  on  the  table  in  one 
direction  till  elongated  and  by  flattening  the  ends, 
make  it  into  a  cylinder.  Ask  the  children  what  things 
have  a  similar  shape  —  a  drum,  a  mug,  a  rolling-pin, 
etc.  Have  them  convert  their  cylinders  into  cylindrical 
objects. 

Lesson  4.  Potato.  Have  each  child  begin  to  model 
191 


Child  Training 

an  ovoid  or  egg-shaped  "  sequence."  Have  him  first 
model  a  potato  from  a  real  one  before  him.  Ask  the 
children  how  potatoes  grow  —  like  oranges  and  ap- 
ples? Tell  them  that  the  farmer  plants  the  potato 
eyes,  from  each  of  which  another  potato  plant  will 
grow. 

Lesson  5.  Egg.  Continuing  the  ovoid  sequence, 
have  each  child  model  an  ^gg,  after  first  having  made 
a  sphere  as  a  preliminary  step.  Have  an  egg  before 
the  children  and  call  their  attention  to  the  difference 
in  size  of  the  two  ends,  which  they  should  try  to  copy 
exactly.  Talk  with  them  about  eggs  —  where  they 
come  from,  what  they  contain,  what  animals  besides 
hens  lay  eggs  —  birds,  frogs,  fish,  etc. 

Lesson  6.  Nests  and  Eggs.  Have  each  child  model 
a  nest,  first  forming  a  sphere,  cutting  it  in  half  through 
the  middle  and  pressing  a  hollow  in  the  flat  side  with 
the  thumb,  then  have  him  make  several  small  eggs  and 
put  them  in  the  nest.  Continue  the  talk  of  the  previ- 
ous lesson  on  eggs  with  a  conversation  about  birds' 
nests — (how  made  —  of  straw,  hair,  twigs,  leaves, 
etc.,  and  where  placed  —  in  trees,  high  up  generally, 
but  also  in  hollows  of  trees  and  even  on  the  ground), 
laying  the  eggs,  hatching,  feeding  the  young,  teach- 
ing them  to  fly,  etc. 

Lesson  7.  Lemon.  Have  each  child  model  a  lemon. 
Ask  what  the  shape  of  the  lemon  is,  round  or  egg 
shaped. 

192 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

Lesson  8.  Pear.  Have  each  child  model  a  pear,  us- 
ing a  bit  of  match  stick  or  twig  for  a  stem. 

Lesson  9.  Hat.  Have  each  child  model  a  hat,  then 
cut  a  narrow  strip  of  colored  paper  and  make  a  band 
and  streamers.     Ask  what  shape  the  crown  is. 

Lesson  10.  Cup  and  Saucer.  Have  each  child 
model  a  cup  and  saucer. 

Lesson  11.  Horseshoe.  Have  each  child  model  a 
horseshoe,  making  first  a  very  long  cylinder,  thicker  in 
the  middle  than  at  the  ends,  then  bend  it  into  shape, 
flattening  it  and  making  "  nails  "  with  lentils. 

Lesson  12.  Candlestick.  Have  each  child  model  a 
candlestick. 

Lesson  13.  Teapot.  Have  each  child  model  a  tea- 
pot. 

Lesson  14.  Boat.  Have  each  child  model  a  boat, 
using  sticks  for  masts  and  bowsprit. 

Lesson  15.  Chain.  Have  each  child  model  a  chain, 
rolling  out  very  long  cylindrical  pieces  and  joining 
their  ends,  first  inserting  each  in  the  link  already  made. 

COLOR    WORK 

Lesson  16.  Three  Primary  Colors.  Show  the  chil- 
dren the  colors,  red,  yellow,  blue,  and  ask  them  to 
mention  things  that  have  these  colors. 

Encourage  their  minds  to  range  for  a  moment  over 
the  whole  universe,  picking  out  fantastic,  as  well  as 
obvious  things  that  are  red,  yellow  and  blue,  but  have 

193 


Child  Training 

them  come  back  to  the  matter  immediately  in  hand 
the  instant  they  are  told  to  do  so. 

Lesson  1 7.  Red  —  Mitten.  Give  each  child  a  paint 
box  and  brush,  a  sheet  of  heavy  paper,  a  saucer  or 
bowl  of  water  and  a  piece  of  rag  or  blotting  paper. 
Show  the  children  how  to  wet  their  brushes  and  then 
work  up  the  red  color  on  the  cake  of  paint.  Discuss 
how  the  brush  is  made,  of  wood  or  a  goose  quill  and 
camel  or  badger's  hair,  for  the  finer  brushes;  of  bris- 
tles of  wood  fiber  for  the  cheaper. 

Have  each  child  place  his  left  hand  on  a  sheet  of 
paper,  the  fingers  together,  the  thumb  extended,  and 
draw  around  it.  Then  have  him  paint  in  the  outline 
with  red  to  form  a  mitten,  being  very  careful  not  to 
go  beyond  the  line.  Ask  the  children  why  mittens  are 
often  made  red  and  tell  them  that  red  is  a  "  warm  " 
color  —  not  really,  of  course,  but  looks  so.  Ask  them 
why  mittens  are  warmer  than  gloves  (the  fingers 
lying  together  keep  each  other  warm). 

Tell  the  children  that  red,  orange  and  yellow  are 
called  "  warm  "  colors.  Ask  them  if  they  can  tell  why. 
Ask  them  to  name  all  the  warm  things  they  can  think 
of  that  have  these  colors  —  fire,  the  sun,  candle  light, 
etc. 

Lesson  18.  Orange  —  An  Orange.  Ask  the  chil- 
dren why  this  color  is  called  orange  and  what  other 
things  have  a  similar  color.  Then  have  each  child 
paint  an  orange,  starting  with  a  dot  in  the  center  of  the 

194 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

paper,  being  as  accurate  as  he  can  and  enlarging  the 
spot  gradually  and  carefully  till  it  has  the  size  and 
shape  he  thinks  an  orange  should  be. 

Lesson  19.  Yellow  —  Lemon.  Discuss  the  color 
yellow  as  in  the  case  of  the  orange  and  have  each  child 
paint  a  lemon. 

Lesson  20.  Green  —  A  Leaf.  Give  each  child  an 
oak  or  maple  leaf  and  have  him  place  it  in  the  center 
of  a  sheet  of  paper,  and  holding  it  down  with  his  left 
hand  draw  around  it  with  a  pencil,  so  as  to  make  an 
outline  of  the  leaf  on  the  paper. 

Then  have  him  paint  the  leaf  he  has  drawn  and  ask 
him  what  color  he  should  use  —  green.  Ask  the  chil- 
dren, as  usual  when  a  new  color  is  introduced,  what 
other  things  are  green  —  grass,  grain,  many  kinds  of 
vegetables  before  ripe,  etc.  Ask  them  what  color  dif- 
ferent fruits  turn  when  ripe  and  leaves  before  they 
fall. 

Tell  the  children  that  green,  blue  and  violet  are 
called  cool  colors  and  ask  them  if  they  can  tell  why. 
Ask  them  to  name  all  the  cool  things  they  can  think  of 
that  are  either  of  these  colors  —  the  sea,  shade,  the 
sky  after  the  sun  has  set,  etc. 

Lesson  21.  Blue  —  Bluebird.  Discuss  the  color 
blue  with  the  children.  Then  draw  for  each  one  an  out- 
line of  a  simple  conventional  bird  and  have  it  filled 
in  with  blue. 

Lesson  22.  Violet  —  A  Violet.  Tell  the  children 
195 


Child  Training 

that  you  are  going  to  let  them  paint  a  very  sweet  flower 
that  grows  in  the  woods  in  spring,  a  flower  that  is  also 
the  name  of  a  girl  and  a  color,  and  see  if  they  can 
guess  its  name  —  violet.  Then  have  each  child  make 
a  dot  of  violet  color  on  a  sheet  of  paper  and  enlarge  it 
irregularly  to  about  the  size  of  a  violet  and  finish  it  by 
drawing  a  stem  with  green  crayon.  As  in  the  case 
of  the  other  colors,  ask  the  children  what  violet  colored 
things  they  see  or  can  mention. 

Lesson  23.  A  Rainhozv.  Have  the  children  ever 
seen  a  rainbow?  If  you  have  a  glass  prism,  let  the  sun 
shine  through  it  to  show  them  the  "  spectrum "  it 
makes  on  the  floor  or  wall.  Have  them  first  count  the 
number  of  colors  they  can  recognize,  then  name  them 
in  order,  red,  orange,  yellow,  green,  blue,  violet. 

Lesson  24.  A  Spectrum.  Have  each  child  make  a 
spectrum  —  as  a  straight  rainbow  is  called  —  by  draw- 
ing with  crayons  of  each  color  short,  thick  vertical 
lines  close  together.  Be  sure  that  the  lines  are  put  in 
the  correct  order  and  have  the  children  learn  the  names 
in  this  order,  as  this  is  the  alphabet  of  colors. 

Lesson  25.  A  Stained  Glass  Windozv.  Cut  oblongs 
of  white  paper  about  3  by  6,  then  have  each  child  fold 
one  lengthwise  —  a  book  —  and  cut  off  a  triangular  or 
curved  piece  from  the  unfolded  corner,  so  that  when 
opened  the  piece  is  shaped  like  a  church  window. 

Have  him  then  wet  both  sides  with  clear  water, 
then  mix  red  in  the  pan  of  the  paint  box  with  his 

196 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

brush,  and  take  up  a  very  full  brush  of  the  color  and 
holding  it  several  inches  above  the  paper  shake  off  a 
big  drop  like  a  blot  in  two  or  three  places.  Have  him 
do  the  same  with  the  yellow^  and  blue  respectively,  and 
allow  the  colors  so  dropped  to  mingle  at  their  edges, 
covering  the  whole  paper  and  giving  the  effect  of  a 
stained  glass  window.  The  colors  should  not  be 
stirred  up  together  with  the  brush  or  they  will  be- 
come "  muddy."  Have  the  children  notice  that  they 
get  six  colors  with  only  three  that  they  used, —  orange 
where  the  red  and  yellow  mingled,  green  from  the  yel- 
low and  blue,  and  violet  from  the  red  and  blue.  This 
is  a  very  important  as  well  as  a  very  instructive  lesson 
in  color  synthesis  and  no  less  surprising  than  instruc- 
tive. Tell  them  that  orange,  green  and  violet  are 
called  second-ary  colors  and  those  they  made  them 
from  —  red,  blue  and  yellow  —  are  called  first  or  pri- 
mary colors. 

Lesson  26.  Balloons  Drawn.  Give  each  child  a  sheet 
of  water  color  paper  and  have  him  arrange  half  a  dozen 
pennies  in  a  cluster  near  the  top  of  the  sheet.  Then 
have  him,  without  disturbing  the  order,  draw  with  a 
pencil  around  the  outside  of  each,  so  that  he  will  have 
when  finished  a  drawing  of  six  rings.  Then  have  him 
draw  lines  from  the  bottom  of  each  ring  to  a  point  near 
the  bottom  of  the  sheet  of  paper,  so  as  to  form  a  collec- 
tion of  toy  balloons  when  painted  in  the  following 
lessons.     Save. 

197 


Child  Training 

Lesson  2y.  Balloons  of  Primary  Color.  Have  each 
child  paint  his  alternate  rings  drawn  in  the  preceding 
lesson  red,  yellow,  and  blue,  respectively,  being  very 
careful  not  to  go  beyond  the  lines.  If  he  is  unable  to 
do  this  carefully  enough  with  the  water  colors,  have 
him  use  colored  crayons.  Save.  Review  the  fact  that 
these  are  the  three  most  important  colors  and  are 
called  First  (Primary)  colors.  The  intervening  rings 
are  to  be  left  blank  for  the  next  painting  lesson. 

Lesson  28.  Balloons  of  Secondary  Color.  Using 
the  sheet  of  balloons  begun  in  the  preceding  lesson, 
have  the  children  mix  red  and  yellow  in  the  pans  of 
their  paint  boxes  and  with  the  resulting  color  (orange) 
paint  the  blank  ring  left  between  the  red  and  yellow 
circles.  Have  them  do  the  same  with  the  yellow  and 
blue,  and  blue  and  red,  which  form  the  colors  green 
and  violet,  respectively.  Review  the  fact  that  these 
resulting  colors  as  they  are  made  from  the  "  First " 
colors  are  called  "  Second  "  (Secondary)  colors.  This 
is  a  most  important  lesson  and  may  be  made  the  basis 
of  a  very  interesting  or  imaginative  discussion. 

DRAWING 

Lesson  29.  Fruits.  Have  each  child  draw  with  an 
appropriate  colored  crayon  different  fruits.  Have  the 
fruit  present,  if  possible,  and  call  attention  to  its  char- 
acteristics—  an  apple,  pear,  banana,  plum,  lemon,  etc. 

Lesson    30.     Vegetables.     Have    each    child    draw 

198 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

with  an  appropriate  colored  crayon  different  vegetables 
such  as  the  tomato,  carrot,  radish,  parsnip,  etc. 

Lesson  31.  Flowers.  Have  each  child  draw  with 
an  appropriate  crayon  different  flowers,  such  as  the 
jonquil,  iris,  tulip,  etc. 

Lesson  ^2.  Men's  Houses.  Talk  with  the  children 
about  dift'erent  kinds  of  dwellings  —  first  those  of  men 

—  a  tent,  a  house,  a  palace,  and  about  the  kind  of  men 
who  live  in  such  houses  —  Indians  and  soldiers  in  a 
tent,  kings  and  queens  in  palaces,  and  so  on.  Have  the 
children  draw  one  or  several  of  these  houses.  Never 
disparage  their  results  nor  laugh  at  their  efforts,  no 
matter  how  crude  they  may  be.  Suggest  improve- 
ments or  alterations,  but  tactfully,  so  as  not  to  dis- 
courage them. 

Lesson  2>2>-  Animals'  Houses.  Talk  with  the  chil- 
dren about  the  different  kinds  of  dwellings  of  animals 

—  a  dog  kennel,  a  barn,  a  bird  house,  and  have  them 
draw  each. 

Lesson  34.  Church.  Talk  with  the  children  about 
the  house  of  God  —  a  church  —  and  have  them  draw 
one  with  a  steeple  and  a  cross. 

Lesson  35.  Furniture.  Talk  with  children  about 
the  furnishings  of  a  house  and  have  them  draw  such 
articles  as  might  be  found  in  a  parlor  —  a  straight 
chair,  a  rocking  chair,  a  sofa,  a  table,  a  piano,  a  pot  of 
ferns,  etc. 

Lesson  36.  Table  Furnishings.  Have  the  children 
199 


Child  Training 

draw  articles  to  be  found  in  the  dining  room  —  a  cup 
and  saucer,  teapot,  knife  and  fork,  spoon,  etc. 

Lesson  37.  Kitchen  Utensils.  Have  the  children 
draw  articles  to  be  found  in  the  kitchen  —  a  frying 
pan,  a  tub,  potato  masher,  stove,  a  broom,  clothes- 
horse,  etc. 

Lesson  38.  Bedroom  Furniture.  Have  the  children 
draw  articles  to  be  found  in  a  bedroom  —  a  bed,  a 
bureau,  brush,  comb,  hand  mirror,  etc. 

Lesson  39.  Tools.  Have  the  children  draw  differ- 
ent tools  —  a  hammer,  screw  driver,  a  rake,  a  hoe,  a 
pitchfork,  etc. 

Lesson  40.  Sim  and  Moon.  Have  the  children  be- 
gin a  light  "  sequence."  Ask  them  what  things  in 
nature  give  light  —  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars ;  what 
things  invented  by  man  —  candles,  lamp,  gas,  electric 
light.  Have  each  child  then  draw  a  horizontal  line 
through  the  center  of  a  sheet  of  paper  to  represent  the 
horizon  —  why  is  it  called  a  horizon-tal  line?  —  and 
in  the  center  draw,  with  the  help  of  a  ring  or  coin,  a 
half  circle  resting  on  the  line  —  then  color  it  orange 
or  red  to  represent  the  setting  sun.  Rays  of  the  same 
color  drawn  from  the  sun  help  the  effect.  Then  have 
him,  on  another  sheet,  draw  a  crescent  moon  and  color 
it  yellow. 

Lesson  41.  A  Candle,  Lamp,  etc.  Have  the  chil- 
dren draw  a  light  "  sequence  " —  a  candle,  a  lamp,  a 
gas  jet,  and  an  electric  light  bulb. 

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Manual  Training — Occupations 

Lesson  42.  Faces.  Have  the  children  draw  faces 
making  an  oval  for  the  outline  of  the  face  and  putting 
in  the  features  with  straight  lines  arranged  all  hori- 
zontally or  pointing  up  to  the  center,  or  down  to  the 
center,  etc.,  to  give  various  expressions. 

PAPER    FOLDING    AND    CUTTING 

Lesson  43.  Paper  Chains  —  Red.  Give  each  child 
a  sheet  of  red  cutting  paper  about  six  inches  square, 
and  have  him  fold  it  once,  edge  to  opposite  edge,  then 
a  second  time  in  the  same  direction,  then  a  third  time 
very  carefully,  keeping  the  edges  even  and  creasing 
them  with  his  finger  nails.  Have  him  open  and  tear 
it  along  the  creases  into  strips,  or,  if  he  is  very  young 
and  unable  to  do  this  well,  cut  down  the  creases  with 
the  scissors.  Have  him  bend  a  strip  end  to  end  till  it 
laps,  then  paste.  Have  him  insert,  in  the  ring  thus 
made,  another  strip  and  paste  its  ends  together  and  so 
on  with  the  remaining  strips,  forming  a  red  chain  of 
eight  links. 

Lesson  44.  Paper  Chains  —  Yellow  and  Blue. 
Have  the  children  make  a  yellow  and  a  blue  chain  as 
directed  for  a  red  chain  in  the  previous  lesson. 

Lesson  45.  A  Lantern.  Have  each  child  fold  a 
square  of  colored  paper  edge  to  edge,  then  cut  slits 
one-half  inch  apart  from  the  folded  edge  to  within  half 
an  inch  of  unfolded  edge ;  then  open  and  paste  together, 
so  that  strips  run  lengthwise,  to  form  a  lantern.     Cut 

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another  strip  and  paste  to  top  edge  for  a  handle. 
This  makes  a  very  decorative  Christmas  tree  orna- 
ment. 

Lesson  46.  A  Reading  Book  —  A  Singing  Book  — 
A  Window.  Give  each  child  a  sheet  of  white  paper 
about  five  inches  square  and  have  him  fold  the  lower 
edge  to  exactly  meet  the  top  edge.  Ask  the  children 
what  this  resembles  —  a  book.  Ask  them  how  many 
leaves  it  has  and  how  many  pages.  Holding  it  in  your 
hand,  "  read  "  a  story  to  them  out  of  it  or  describe 
imaginary  pictures  you  see  there.  Have  them  do  the 
same.  Then  have  them  fold  it  again  in  the  opposite 
direction  to  form  the  "  singing  book."  Have  them 
sing  a  song  from  the  book.  Open  it  out  and  they  can 
see  a  "  window  "  of  four  panes.  Have  them  describe 
what  they  see  through  the  window.  This  may  be  made 
not  only  a  most  fascinating  game,  but  a  very  valuable 
exercise  for  cultivating  the  imagination. 

Lesson  47.  A  Table  —  A  Screen.  Have  each  child 
fold  a  "  Book  "  then  open  and  fold  the  two  edges  to 
coincide  with  the  center  line.  What  does  this  resemble 
when  stood  upright?  A  pair  of  doors  or  window  with 
shutters.  Partly  open  it  forms  a  "  Table."  Crease 
the  center  line  in  the  opposite  direction  and  stand  on 
end  to  form  a  "  Screen  "  and  have  the  children  tell 
what  imaginary  things  are  behind  it. 

Lesson  48.  A  Foot  Stool  —  A  Barn  —  A  House. 
Have  each  child  fold  the  "  Book,"  then  without  open- 

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Manual  Training — Occupations 

ing,  fold  lengthwise  again,  then  end  to  end  to  form  the 
eight  leaved  singing  book.  Open  the  singing  book  and 
fold  each  end  to  the  center  line  and  partially  open  to 
form  a  "  Foot  Stool."  Open  out  the  original  square 
which  will  now  be  creased  into  a  checkerboard  of  i6 
squares.  Fold  this  in  half;  then  fold  over  the  upper 
right  hand  corner  and  partially  opening  this  end,  press 
down  to  make  "  A  Barn."  Treating  the  opposite 
corner  in  the  same  way  makes  a  "  House." 

Lesson  49.  A  Fan  —  A  Washboard.  Have  each 
child  fold  a  "  Fan  "  as  follows :  Take  a  sheet  of  paper 
about  letter  size,  8x10,  and  fold  the  short  edge  over 
about  half  an  inch.  Invert  and  fold  this  strip  back. 
Invert  and  do  the  same,  and  continue  in  this  way  till  the 
entire  width  of  the  paper  is  folded  into  these  narrow 
strips.  Pinched  together  at  one  end,  or  tied  with  a 
string,  spread  at  the  other,  this  forms  a  "  Fan." 
Opened  out  it  forms  a  "  Washboard." 

Lesson  50.  A  Dart.  Have  each  child  take  letter 
size  sheets  of  paper  and  fold  a  short  edge  so  that  it 
coincides  w^ith  the  adjacent  long  edge.  Have  him 
then,  without  opening  it,  fold  the  folded  edge  to  the 
same  long  edge  twice  in  succession  to  form  a  "  Dart," 
with  which  he  may  have  some  harmless  sport  in  cast- 
ing it  at  a  target. 

Lesson  51.  A  Cut  Design.  Have  each  child  fold  a 
sheet  of  colored  cutting  paper,  not  less  than  six  inches 
square,  corner  to  diagonally  opposite  corner,  then  acute 

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Child  Training 

corner  to  acute  corner,  a  second  and  a  third  time,  till 
he  has  eight  triangles  lying  one  on  top  of  the  other. 
All  folding  should  be  most  carefully  done,  the  edges 
exactly  meeting  and  the  fold  creased  down  firmly  and 
evenly.  The  eight  open  edges  should  be  held  to  the 
left.  This  is  the  usual  folded  form  from  which  four 
sided  figures  are  cut.  Have  the  children  thea  make 
two  vertical  cuts.  Then  open  the  three  pieces  thus  re- 
sulting and,  after  arranging  them  in  a  "  form  of 
beauty,"  paste  them. 

Lesson  52.  A  Cut  Design.  Have  each  child  fold 
sheets  of  the  colored  cutting  paper  as  described  in  the 
preceding  lesson,  cut  in  a  different  direction  from  the 
one  just  made,  then  open,  arrange  the  parts  in  a  form 
of  beauty,  and  paste. 

Lesson  53.  A  Pin  Wheel.  Have  each  child  make  a 
pin  wheel  as  follows:  Fold  a  square,  corner  to 
diagonally  opposite  corner,  open,  fold  the  other  corner 
to  opposite,  open  and  slit  down  the  creases  to  within 
an  inch  of  the  center,  fold  alternate  points  thus  made 
to  center  and  fasten  them  down  to  a  stick  with  a  pin. 

Lesson  54.  A  Tent  —  An  Envelope  —  A  Frame. 
Have  each  child  make  a  "  Tent,"  an  "  Envelope,"  and 
a  "  Frame  "  from  dictation,  as  follows : 

(a)  Take  a  sheet  of  oblong  paper  about  letter  size, 
that  is  8  X  10.  Fold  a  short  edge  till  it  coincides 
with  the  adjacent  long  edge  and  crease  (iron)  down 
firmly.     Fold  back   the  oblong  piece  remaining  and 

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Manual  Training — Occupations 

either  tear  or  cut  it  off.  Tell  the  children  this  is  the 
way  they  can  always  make  a  square  from  an  oblong 
or  test  a  piece  of  paper  or  any  other  material  to  see 
if  it  is  square.  The  square  folded  thus,  corner  to 
corner,  they  may  then  call  a  tent.  This  is  the  first 
step. 

(b)  Open  the  square  out  flat  and  fold  in  the  opposite 
direction,  corner  to  corner ;  open  out  and  fold  one  edge 
to  opposite  edge,  open  again  and  fold  in  opposite  direc- 
tion. When  they  now  open  out  the  square  it  will  be 
creased  in  four  intersecting  lines  —  eight  lines  radiat- 
ing from  the  center.     This  is  the  second  step. 

(c)  Fold  each  corner  to  the  center.  This  is  the 
third  step  —  the  "  Envelope." 

(d)  Fold  back  each  of  the  center  triangular  points 
to  the  edge  of  the  envelope,  thus  forming  the  "  Frame." 

A  square  of  red  coated  paper  (red  on  one  side,  white 
on  the  other)  may  be  used  for  the  above,  in  which 
case  the  folding  should  be  done  with  the  red  side  down 
so  that  "  The  Envelope  "  when  finished  will  be  red. 

Lesson  55.  The  Case  —  A  Crown.  Have  each 
child  fold  a  square  of  paper  to  make  a  "  Case  "  and  a 
"  Crown,"  as  follows : 

(a)  Fold  square  of  paper  to  make  the  "  Envelope," 
described  in  the  preceding  lesson. 

(b)  Invert  and  fold  the  corners  to  the  center  to  form 
the  "  Case."  There  will  then  be  four  triangles  on  the 
upper  side  and  four  squares  on  the  lower  side. 

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Child  Training 

(c)  Invert  the  "  Case  "  and  fold  an  outside  corner 
to  the  diagonally  opposite  outside  corner  so  that  the 
four  small  squares  are  inside. 

(d)  Holding  the  triangle  thus  formed  in  the  left 
hand  with  the  two  points  up,  lift  up  the  left  hand, 
small,  inside  square  and  crease  it  back  and  the  right 
hand,  inside  square  likewise,  and  you  have  the 
"  Crown." 

Lesson  56.  The  Accordion.  Have  each  child  fold 
a  sheet  of  paper  as  for  the  "  Fan,"  described  in  a  pre- 
ceding lesson.  Have  him  then  iron  down  the  creases 
with  a  paper  cutter,  then  tear  off  each  strip  very  care- 
fully or  separate  into  strips  with  the  paper  cutter.  In 
either  case  it  is  important  for  success  that  the  folds 
should  be  firmly  ironed  down  to  present  a  sharp  edge. 
As  a  preparation  for  this  lesson,  the  children  might 
separate  the  uncut  edges  of  a  magazine  or  book  with 
a  paper  cutter. 

Then  have  each  child  take  two  of  the  strips  thus 
made,  and  placing  the  end  of  one  on  the  end  of  the 
other  and  at  right  angles  to  it,  fold  the  lower  across  the 
upper,  each  one  alternately,  till  each  strip  is  entirely 
folded  up.  Paste  the  last  fold  to  the  one  beneath,  in- 
vert and  do  the  same  with  the  first  square  and  when 
pulled  out  you  have  the  "  accordion." 

Lesson  57.  A  Bed  —  A  Cradle  —  A  Trough.  Have 
each  child  fold  a  sheet  of  paper  to  make  a  "  Bed,"  a 
"  Cradle,"  and  a  "  Trough,"  as  follows: 

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Manual  Training — Occupations 

(a)  Make  the  "  Crown,"  described  in  a  preceding 
lesson. 

(b)  Fold  back  the  points  that  stand  up  in  the  center 
to  form  a  "  Bed." 

(c)  By  folding  one  end  point  down  into  the  inside, 
this  may  be  converted  into  a  "  Cradle." 

(d)  By  doing  the  same  with  the  other  point  the 
"  Trough  "  is  made. 

Lesson  58.  A  Salt  Cellar  —  A  Nose  Pincher.  Have 
each  child  fold  paper  to  make  a  "  Salt  Cellar "  or 
"  Nose  Pincher,"  as  follows : 

(a)  Make  the  "Case." 

(b)  Invert,  so  that  the  four  squares  are  up,  then, 

(c)  Holding  the  case  with  the  left  hand  under  it, 
insert  beneath  the  small  squares  four  fingers  of  the 
right  hand,  thrusting  them  down  into  the  comers,  at  the 
same  time  that  the  center  of  the  case  is  pushed  up  from 
beneath  and  pinched  together  by  the  fingers  of  the 
right  hand. 

Lesson  59.  A  Tray  —  A  Wind  Mill.  Have  each 
child  fold  paper  to  make  a  "  Tray  "  and  a  "  Wind 
Mill,"  as  follows: 

(a)  Make  the  "Envelope."     (See  lesson  54.) 

(b)  Then,  instead  of  inverting  to  make  the  "  Case," 
fold  each  corner  to  the  center,  making  the  "  Tray." 

(c)  Holding  the  "  Tray  "  in  the  left  hand  and  keep- 
ing the  points  of  the  triangles  as  nearly  as  possible  in 
place,  pull  out  from  underneath  each  of  the  square 

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points  and  crease  them  backwards,  so  that  four  large 
triangular  wings  stand  up.  This  is  rather  difficult,  but 
important,  for  several  interesting  forms  are  made  from 
it. 

(d)  Fold  these  wings  back,  as  shown  below,  to  make 
a  "  Wind  Mill." 

Lesson  60.  Napkins.  Have  each  child  fold  paper 
or  linen  napkins  in  above  forms  for  luncheon  or  pic- 
nic party. 

Lesson  61.  Curls  —  Lamplighter  —  Spools  — 
Shovel  —  Fork,  etc.  Have  each  child  make  strips  as 
directed  in  lesson  56.  Then  have  him  roll  each  strip 
up  tightly  on  a  stick.  Then  pull  out  the  inside  of  two 
of  the  rolls  to  form  "  curls  "  which  may  be  tucked 
behind  the  ears.  Paste  the  loose  end  of  each  of  the 
remaining  rolls,  then  punch  out  their  centers  to  form 
a  "  Lamplighter  "  or  horn.  By  pinching  the  larger 
end,  a  "  Spoon  "  or  "  Shovel  "  is  made.  By  slitting 
up  the  large  end  thus  flattened,  a  "  Fork,"  "  Paint 
Brush  "  or  "  Broom  "  is  made. 

Lesson  62.  Double  Boat.  Have  each  child  fold 
paper  to  make  a  "  Double  Boat,"  as  follows : 

(a)  Make  the  "Wind  Mill."     (See  lesson  59.) 

(b)  Fold  2  wings  so  that  they  lie  alongside  of  each 
other  in  one  direction  and  the  other  two  in  the  opposite 
direction. 

(c)  Invert  and  fold  in  half,  lengthwise  to  form  a 
"  Double  Boat." 

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Manual  Training — Occupations 

Various  other  forms  may  be  made  by  folding  the 
wings  of  the  "  Wind  Mill  "  in  different  directions. 

STRING  WORK KNOTTING,  STRING  FIGURES,  ETC. 

Lesson  63.  Cat's  Cradle.  Teach  the  children 
"  Cat's  Cradle."  Give  each  a  string,  at  least  four  feet 
long  before  the  ends  are  tied  together,  and  have  them 
learn  the  sequence  of  figures  and  practise  doing  them 
till  they  can  complete  the  series  without  bungling,  so 
that  their  "  fingers  are  not  all  thumbs." 

Lesson  64.  Overhand  Knot.  Get  two  pieces  of 
rope  about  six  feet  long  and  three  quarters  to  an  inch 
in  diameter  for  use  in  teaching  knot  tying. 

Give  each  child  two  pieces  of  fishing  line  or  wrap- 
ping cord  about  a  foot  long.  Using  the  rope,  show 
the  children  how  to  make  the  simple  "  Overhand  " 
knot  and  have  them  practise  making  it  first  with  the 
rope  and  then  with  string.  Tell  them  always  to  hold 
the  main  part  of  the  rope,  or  string,  in  the  left  hand  as 
if  it  were  attached  to  a  ball  or  stake,  with  the  free  end 
pointing  towards  the  right,  and  make  the  knot  with  the 
right  hand  by  passing  the  free  end  over  the  main 
part. 

The  overhand  knot  is  made  in  this  way  by  passing  the 
free  end  back  over  the  main  part  and  then  up  through 
the  loop  thus  made. 

Lesson  65.  Blood  Knot.  In  the  same  way  teach  the 
"  Blood  Knot."     The  blood  knot  is  made  by  passing 

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the  free  end  back  over  the  main  part,  then  through  the 
loop  several  times  and  drawing  taut. 

Lesson  66.  Figure  8  Knot.  In  the  same  way  teach 
the  "  Figure  8  Knot." 

The  figure  8  knot  is  made  by  passing  free  end  back 
over  the  main  part  then  round  it  and  down  through 
loop. 

Lesson  d'j.  Reef  Knot  and  Granny  Knot.  In  the 
same  way  teach  the  "  Reef  Knot,"  for  tying  two  pieces 
or  ends  of  string  together  and  caution  against  the 
faulty  "  granny  "  knot  which  it  resembles. 

The  reef  knot  is  made  thus :  With  a  string  end  in 
each  hand  ( i )  put  right  hand  end  under  other,  then 
left  under  other,  then  (2)  put  right  hand  over  other 
and  through  loop.  The  "  granny  "  knot  which  is  an 
insecure  knot  is  made  the  same  way  as  the  reef  knot, 
except  in  the  (2)  movement,  the  right  hand  end  is  put 
incorrectly  under  other  and  through  loop. 

Remember  "  Under,  under,  over "  to  get  the  reef 
knot  correct. 

Have  the  children  practise  tying  up  bundles,  passing 
the  string  round  once  lengthwise  and  crosswise,  and 
tying  with  a  reef  knot. 

Lesson  68.  Bow  Knot.  In  the  same  way  teach  the 
"  Bow  Knot  "  and  caution  against  the  "  granny  "  bow 
knot. 

To  make  the  bow  knot  do  (i)  movement  of  reef 
knot  then  (2)  make  a  loop  of  left  hand  free  end  (3) 

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Manual  Training — Occupations 

put  right  hand  over  neck  of  loop  {under  would  make 
it  a  "  granny  "  bow  knot  which  would  slip  or  come 
untied)  (4)  loop  right  hand  free  end,  put  it  through 
original  loop  and  draw  all  taut. 

Have  the  children  practise  tying  their  shoe  strings, 
ties,  hair  ribbons  and  sashes. 

Lesson  69.  Slip  Knot.  In  the  same  way  teach 
"  Slip  Knot." 

To  make  the  slip  knot  hold  the  string  as  usual  in  left 
hand  with  free  end  pointing  to  right,  then  with 
right  hand  take  hold  of  the  main  part  of  the  string  be- 
low left  hand  and  put  it  over  free  end  then  through 
loop  and  draw  taut. 

Lesson  70.     Plaiting.     Teach  plaiting  three  strings. 

Take  three  strings,  pieces  of  tape  or  ribbon,  prefer- 
ably of  different  colors,  tie  their  ends  together  and 
fasten  down  with  a  thumb  tack.  Holding  the  strings 
in  the  hands  so  that  there  is  always  a  central  string 
and  one  on  each  side,  put  the  right  and  left  string  al- 
ternately over  the  one  in  the  middle. 

Lesson  yi.     Tivist  Knot.     Teach  the  "  Twist  Knot." 

The  twist  knot  is  made  by  folding  a  single  string 
back  on  itself  so  as  to  give  three  parallel  strands,  then 
plaiting  these  strands  exactly  as  if  they  were  three  in- 
dependent strings. 

Lesson  y2.  Chain  Knot.  Teach  "  Chain  Knot  " 
or  Chain  Stitch. 

This  is  done  either  with  the  fingers,  a  hook  or  a 
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Child  Training 

crochet  needle.  Make  a  slip  knot,  then  pull  or  hook 
the  main  part  of  the  string  through  this  loop  so  as  to 
form  another  loop.  Continue  in  the  same  way  pull- 
ing the  main  part  of  the  string  through  each  loop  to 
form  another  loop. 

Lesson  73.  Bead  Knotting.  Have  each  child  knot 
a  string,  preferably  a  colored  one,  at  regular  inter- 
vals, say  every  inch,  or  make  two  or  three  knots 
close  together  at  intervals  of  two  inches.  The  ends 
may  then  be  raveled  out  into  "  tassels." 

WORK    FOR    SPECIAL    SEASONS 

The  following  lessons  are  to  be  given  at  the  ap- 
propriate season. 

Thanksgiving  Season 

Ask  the  children  who  of  their  number  have  used 
bows  and  arrows,  and  tell  them  what  connection  the 
Indians  had  with  Thanksgiving.  When  the  Pilgrims 
first  came  to  this  country  they  found  many  Indians, 
some  friendly,  others  hostile.  After  they  had  been 
here  about  a  year,  they  gave  thanks  that  their  lives  had 
been  spared  and  that  their  first  crops  had  been  success- 
ful. The  friendly  Indians  had  taught  them  how  to 
grow  Indian  corn  or  maize.  (In  Europe  they  call 
wheat  and  other  grain  "corn.")  This  was  the  first 
Thanksgiving  Day. 

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Manual  Training — Occupations 

Have  each  child  draw  bows  and  arrows,  a  tomahawk, 
a  canoe,  a  pipe  of  peace,  etc. 

Have  each  child  model  "  mud  pies  " —  bread,  cake, 
plum-pudding,  etc.,  for  a  make-believe  Thanksgiving 
Dinner. 

Have  each  child  make  a  cornucopia  of  different  col- 
ored paper  by  folding  and  pasting  an  edge  of  a  square 
sheet  of  paper  to  the  adjoining  edge  and  cutting  and 
pasting  a  paper  loop  to  the  upper  corner.  Have  him 
pop  corn  and  fill  the  cornucopia  for  a  friend  or  relative. 
Explain  that  a  cornucopia  means  "  horn  of  plenty  "  and 
ask  the  children  why  it  and  the  corn  are  appropriate 
to  Thanksgiving. 

Christmas  Season 

Have  the  children  cut  stars  of  8  and  6  points. 

Call  their  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  six  pointed 
star  which  is  called  Solomon's  Seal  (the  Jewish  em- 
blem) is  made  of  two  triangles.  Ask  them  which 
they  like  best.  "  Do  the  stars  in  heaven  have  points?  " 
"  No,  they  are  balls  of  fire,  but  they  give  out  rays  of 
light  which  look  something  like  points."  Tell  them 
the  story  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem. 

To  make  the  8  pointed  star,  fold  a  square  sheet  of 
paper  (gold  paper  if  it  can  be  obtained)  corner  to  di- 
agonally opposite  corner,  then  acute  corner  to  acute 

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Child  Training 

corner  twice  in  succession,   then  holding  the   closed 
edge  to  the  right,  cut  in  the  lines  indicated  below. 


To  make  the  6  pointed  star,  fold  a  square  of  paper 
corner  to  diagonally  opposite  corner,  then  acute  corner 
to  acute  corner.  Then  instead  of  folding  corner  to 
corner  a  third  time,  fold  each  edge  of  right  angle 
towards  the  center,  so  that  one  exactly  overlaps  the 
other  before  ironing  the  edges  down.  Then  cut  as  in- 
dicated below. 


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Manual  Training — Occupations 

Have  the  children  learn  to  do  up  a  Christmas  book 
or  bundle.  The  wrapping  paper  should  be  cut  to  such 
a  length  that  it  will  only  lap  about  an  inch  when 
wrapped  around  the  book  and  its  width  should  be  the 
length  of  the  book  plus  twice  its  thickness. 

Have  each  child  draw  a  Christmas  tree  with  candles 
on  it. 

Have  each  child  make  Christmas  bells  by  folding 
sheets  of  red  paper  in  half  and  cutting  half  a  bell  from 
the  folded  edge,  as  shown  below.  The  half  bells,  when 
unfolded,  become  whole  bells  which  should  be  pasted 
on  a  sheet  of  white  paper  and  connected  by  a  ribbon 
drawn  with  crayon. 

Have  each  child  draw  stockings  and  paint  them 
different  colors. 

Have  each  child  cut  lancet-shape  strips  of  red  paper, 
arrange  them  about  a  center  and  paste  to  make 
poinsettia  leaves. 

Have  each  child  draw,  or  draw  for  him,  a  holly  spray 
and  have  him  color  the  leaves  and  berries. 

St.  Valentine's  Day 

Have  each  child  fold  sheets  of  red  paper  in  half  and 
cut  out  half  hearts,  as  shown  below.  Then  unfold, 
paste  and  connect  by  a  ribbon  drawn  with  crayon,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  Christmas  bells.  Ask  him  why 
hearts  are  associated  with  St.  Valentine's  Day. 

215 


Child  Training 

Have  him  make  an  envelope  for  the  heart  valentine 
and  join  the  flaps  by  pasting  a  small  red  heart  at  their 
meeting  point. 

Have  each  child  cut  several  hearts,  large  and  small, 
paste  on  a  sheet  of  paper  and  connect  by  a  ribbon  made 
with  the  red  crayon. 

Washington's  Birthday 

Have  each  child  draw  with  a  crayon  a  hatchet,  a 
cluster  of  cherries,  or  a  cherry  tree  with  cherries  on  it 
and  tell  the  children  the  story  of  Washington  and  the 
cherry  tree. 

Have  each  child  draw  with  the  red  crayon  a  row 
of  fire  crackers  with  fuses.  Have  the  children  make 
powderless  fire  crackers  as  follows : 

Roll  up  on  a  stick  strips  of  red  paper  2  inches  wide, 
paste  the  loose  end  and  insert  a  piece  of  string  in  the 
center  for  a  fuse. 

Have  each  child  fold  several  sheets  of  paper  in  half 
and  cut  so  as  to  form  shields. 

Have  each  child  fold  a  sheet  of  newspaper  to  make 
a  cocked  hat,  as  follows : 

(a)  Placing  the  newspaper  before  him  in  reading 
position,  have  him  fold  the  upper  edge  down  to  the 
lower. 

(b)  Fold  the  right  edge  to  left  and  open  again  to 
get  a  vertical  crease  down  the  center. 

(c)  Fold  the  upper  left  and  right  hand  corners  down 

216 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

so  that  the  upper  edges  meet  in  a  vertical  hne  in  the 
center. 

(d)  Fold  up  half  the  thickness  of  the  oblong  strip 
of  paper  at  the  bottom;  invert  and  fold  up  the  re- 
maining thickness  of  paper. 

The  hat  may  be  made  smaller  and  still  more  secure 
and  neater  as  follows:  Stretch  the  sides  of  the  hat 
apart  so  that  the  front  and  back  peaks  come  together, 
lap  the  projecting  corners  of  the  hat  rim  and  fold  the 
lower  corners  up  to  the  top. 

The  hat  will  remain  in  shape  if  worn,  but  to  make 
it  more  secure,  it  may  be  pinned,  care  being  taken, 
however,  that  the  pin  point  does  not  protrude.  A  tas- 
sel or  plume  made  of  colored  tissue  paper  pinned  to 
the  top  point  of  course  makes  the  hat  more  gay. 


/ 


1 


\ 


\ 


217 


OCCUPATIONS 

To  a  child  the  most  interesting  manual  training  is 
that  which  is  in  the  nature  of  some  grown  up  occupa- 
tion, some  "  domestic  "  art.  What  physical  training 
is  to  free  play,  formal  manual  training  is  to  occupa- 
tions. One  is  systematic  drill,  the  other  more  or  less 
spontaneous,  concrete  activity.  One  is  supplementary 
to  the  other  and  both  are  valuable. 

The  child's  desire  to  imitate  his  elders  and  help  in 
their  work  offers  an  opportunity  to  train  him  in  the 
elements  of  both  man  and  woman's  work  in  and  about 
the  house.  Every  normal  child  wants  to  help  the 
"  hired  man  "  cut  grass  or  the  cook  shell  peas,  and  it 
is  only  because  he  is  "  in  the  way  "  and  a  "  hindrance 
rather  than  a  help  "  that  these  services  so  useful  to  the 
child  are  usually  denied  him. 

In  the  case  of  a  child  in  the  family  the  parents  in- 
stead of  discouraging  or  forbidding  the  "  helping 
hand  "  in  household  occupations  should  look  upon  this 
work  as  part  of  the  child's  educational  training  and 
make  provision  for  such  "  help "  even  though  it  is 
an  actual  hindrance,  creating  the  occasion  if  the  usual 
occupation  does  not  admit  of  being  interfered  with. 

218 


Manual  Training — Occupations 

In  the  case  of  a  class  the  opportunities  should  be 
made  for  the  children  to  do  the  entire  work  them- 
selves, of  course  with  explanation,  direction  and  as- 
sistance at  first. 

Following  are  some  of  the  occupations  which  the 
children  may  be  taught: 

INDOORS 

Airing  bed.  Show  them  how  bedding  Is  to  be  pulled 
apart  and  spread  open  for  sunning  and  airing. 

Making  bed.  Show  them  how  to  spread  and  tuck 
in  under  and  upper  sheet  and  blankets,  lay  pillows,  etc. 

Dusting.  Show  them  how  to  use  dust  cloth,  being 
careful  not  to  break  objects  and  not  to  leave  corners 
and  other  spots  untouched. 

Show  them  how  to  use  dust  pan  and  brush. 

Setting  table.  Show  them  how  to  do  this  and  other 
housekeeping  occupations,  such  as: 

Washing  Dishes 

Cleaning  Silver 

Taking  Spots  out  of  Clothing 

Watering  Plants 

Arranging  Flowers 

Sewing.  Show  them  how  to  thread  a  needle  and 
sew  on  buttons.  Let  them  make  a  bean  bag,  using  the 
whipping  stitch,  or  do  other  pieces  of  rough  sewing, 
but  on  real  material. 

219 


Child  Training 

Cooking.  Show  them  how  to  boil  eggs,  soft,  me- 
dium and  hard. 

Show  them  how  to  bake  apples  and  potatoes. 

Show  them  how  to  toast  bread. 

Show  them  how  to  pop  corn. 

Show  them  how  to  make  molasses  taffy. 

OUTDOORS 

Let  them  help  push  the  lawn  mower. 

Let  them  water  the  lawn. 

Let  them  rake  leaves  or  grass. 

Let  them  hoe,  and  dig  in  the  garden. 

Let  them  plant  flower  or  vegetable  seeds  and  watch 
and  care  for  them. 

Let  them  feed  and  care  for  such  pets  as  dog,  cat, 
chickens,  rabbits,  squirrels,  pigeons. 

Let  them  use  hammer  and  nails. 

Let  them  "  paint  "  fence,  wall  or  steps  with  a  pail  of 
water  and  a  full  size  4  inch  painter's  brush. 

These  are  only  a  few  of  a  great  many  possible  oc- 
cupations. Depending  on  the  location  and  nature  of 
the  place  many  more  occupations  will  suggest  them- 
selves. 


220 


Photograpli  by  Bachrach 

INFORMATION 
"Learning   to    tell   time" — Teaching    fundamentals 


PART  VIII 

INFORMATION 

Though  a  child  is  constantly  gathering  information 
every  moment  of  the  day,  from  his  surroundings  and 
associates  and  incidentally  from  all  the  previous  train- 
ing laid  down,  it  is  well  for  completeness  and  system 
to  have  a  short  period  in  which  certain  facts  of  in- 
formation are  systematically  presented  to  him,  both 
for  the  sake  of  the  facts  and  for  the  sake  of  the  prac- 
tice gained  in  learning  facts,  that  is,  learning  how  to 
study.  "  Knowledge  is  Classification,"  Herbert  Spen- 
cer says,  and  even  though  some  of  the  facts  learned 
may  not  be  new,  the  classification  of  them  as  given 
below  adds  to  the  child's  knowledge  and  encourages 
a  scientific  attitude  and  habit  of  mind. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  unsafe  to  take  any  knowl- 
edge for  granted  or  assume  that  the  child  knows  even 
the  simplest  thing  he  may  be  supposed  to  know  —  a 
searching  cross  questioning  will  often  reveal  the  most 
amazing  and  unbelievable  ignorance.  This  is  the  pe- 
riod, therefore,  in  which  the  beginnings  of  what  are 
most  usually  thought  of  as  school  subjects  are  to  be 
taught  —  science,  history,  language,  etc.,  and  in  which 

223 


Child  Training 

the  child  is  to  gain  practice  in  acquiring  knowledge,  in 
learning  how  to  study. 

Accordingly  a  syllabus  of  the  information  suitable 
or  useful  for  a  child  is  here  given.  It  provides  a  com- 
prehensive survey  of  all  the  chief  departments  of  hu- 
man knowledge  which  afterwards,  in  later  school  years, 
will  be  expanded  and.  studied  in  detail.  At  the  In- 
formation Period  each  day  the  teacher's  business  is 
to  instruct  the  children  in  the  subjects  suggested  in  this 
outline,  taking  up  as  many  points  at  a  lesson  as  the 
time  allows  or  the  children  can  digest. 

METHOD    OF    INSTRUCTION 

Herbart  and  his  disciples,  especially  Zille  and  Rein, 
explain  with  great  care  and  detail  formal  steps  for 
giving  instruction.  For  the  purpose  of  this  period, 
however,  it  will  only  be  necessary  for  the  teacher  or 
parent  to  PRESENT  the  subject  to  the  child  as  simply, 
clearly  and  directly  as  possible,  and  then  call  upon 
him  to  REACT  on  this  presentation  as  strongly  as 
possible. 

Too  much  formalism  in  following  out  certain  steps 
in  a  certain  sequence  may  tend  to  the  mechanical  and 
it  is  a  safer  plan  for  the  teacher  or  parent  to  have  the 
proper  spirit  and  then  to  concentrate  her  attention  on 
but  two  things,  PRESENTATION  and  REACTION, 
as  follows : 

Presentation.  First  she  should  tell,  explain,  show 
224 


Information 

—  as  clearly,  simply,  vividly,  interestingly  as  possible 
all  she  can  about  the  subject.  This  is  the  Presenta- 
tion. 

Reaction.  Then  she  should  have  the  child  tell  back 
to  her  in  his  own  words  and  own  way,  all  he  has 
gathered  from  her  presentation,  comment  on  it,  ask 
questions,  make  suggestions,  discuss  it,  investigate  it 
further,  experiment.  This  is  the  Reaction  —  the  di- 
gestive process  that  is  absolutely  essential  to  complete 
the  instruction,  and  without  which  the  presentation 
is  wasted,  rendered  null  and  void  —  without  effect  — 
"  in  one  ear  and  out  the  other." 

It  is  most  important  and  even  essential,  for  the 
young  and  untrained  child  to  be  put  and  kept  in  a  good 
humor  during  both  the  Presentation  and  Reaction. 
He  should  be  cajoled  or  wheedled  into  attending  and 
reacting,  but  never  threatened  or  scolded.  His  atti- 
tude at  first  is  only  what  nature  has  bestowed  on  him, 
and  to  excite  or  rouse  his  antipathy  or  ugly  emotions 
by  harsh  words  or  treatment  defeats  the  attempt  to 
impose  knowledge  or  to  train  in  acquiring  it. 

An  older  person  may  voluntarily  react  —  think  it 
over,  debate  it  with  himself  and  one  of  education's 
tasks  is  to  form  this  habit  of  voluntary  reaction  on 
the  part  of  the  learner,  but  in  the  child  the  reaction 
must  be  called  forth  by  the  active  questioning,  sug- 
gestion and  discussion  of  the  teacher. 

The  popular  expressions  *  pouring  in  "  and  "  draw- 
225 


Child  Training 

ing  out  "  applied  to  methods  of  instruction  are  incor- 
rect even  figuratively  and  also  misleading,  and  there  is 
no  particular  virtue  in  the  process  called  "  drawing 
out "  or  superiority  over  that  of  "  pouring  in." 
"  Drawing  all  out  "  without  "  pouring  in  "  is  just  as 
bad  as  "pouring  all  in"  without  "drawing  out,"  if 
these  expressions  mean  as  supposedly  they  do  —  pre- 
senting and  reacting.  Both  are  necessary  in  instruc- 
tion. The  subject  must  be  presented  and  then,  in  order 
to  become  a  possession  of  the  child,  it  must  be  reacted 
upon  by  him. 

Starting  with  the  child  himself  —  his  own  body  — 
and  working  outward  in  ever  widening  circles,  from 
the  known  to  the  unknown,  the  teacher  should  tell 
him  about  all  the  things  that  are  of  interest  or  value 
for  him  to  know  about  in  the  world  around  him. 

The  teacher,  howeyer,  should  not  adhere  strictly  to 
this  order  —  from  the  center  outward  —  but,  follow- 
ing the  lead  suggested  by  the  association  of  the  sub- 
ject or  the  interests  of  the  child,  she  may  wander  far 
afield  —  to  return,  however,  to  the  next  point  in  order 
after  the  preceding  subject  has  been  pursued  suffi- 
ciently, in  order  to  make  sure  she  is  covering  the 
ground. 

SAMPLE   LESSON 

In  the  first  lesson  the  child  learns  no  new  facts 
except  possibly  the  names  "  trunk  "  and  "  limbs  "  and 

226 


Information 

this  information  is  of  little  or  no  value  but  he  must 
first  take  in  what  is  said  and  then  give  it  back,  he 
must  attend  and  react,  he  must  listen  and  recite  and 
the  ability  to  do  this  is  one  of  the  most  important 
study  powers  to  be  acquired. 

The  teacher  might  start  off  with  the  first  lesson,  as 
follows : 

"  I  'm  going  to  tell  you  some  things  about  your  own 
bodies  which  you  may  already  know  but  when  I  get 
through  I  want  to  see  if  you  can  tell  me  everything 
I  have  told  you  and  perhaps  something  more  besides. 
Now,  watch  and  listen  till  I  get  through. 

"  Your  body  has  a  head,  a  trunk  and  limbs.  This 
is  the  head  (pointing  to  it),  as  you  know;  this  part 
is  called  the  trunk  and  the  arms  and  legs  are  called 
limbs. 

"  Now  see  if  you  can  tell  me  the  parts  of  the  body." 
The  children  may  not  be  able  to  take  in  all  of  this 
at  one  lesson  —  depending  on  their  maturity  and  pre- 
vious training,  if  any.  Indeed  if  this  is  the  very  first 
lesson  of  this  sort  it  would  not  be  at  all  surprising 
if  not  a  single  child  could  even  start  to  tell  what  he 
had  been  told  when  the  time  came  for  him  to  do  so. 
The  teacher  should  then  repeat  what  she  has  said, 
starting  with  "I'm  going  to  tell  you"  and  ending 
with  "  Now  see  if  you  can  " —  and  still  again,  if  neces- 
sary, until  each  one  of  the  children  is  aroused  to  make 
the  effort  to  retain  and  retell  what  has  been  told  him. 

227 


Child  Training 

She  should  then  take  up  the  next  points,  starting  and 
ending  in  a  similar  way : 

"  The  things  you  have  only  one  of  are  (pointing 
to  each  as  mentioned),  one  forehead,  one  nose,  one 
mouth,  one  tongue,  one  chin,  one  neck. 

"  The  things  you  have  two  of  are,  two  eyes,  two 
ears,  two  cheeks,  two  lips,  two  shoulders,  two  arms, 
two  elbows,  two  wrists,  two  hands,  two  thumbs,  two 
legs,  two  knees,  two  ankles,  two  feet. 

"  You  have  five  fingers  on  each  hand ;  you  have  five 
toes  on  each  foot." 

Each  succeeding  day  the  teacher  should  take  up  in 
a  similar  way  the  next  points  given  below  —  of  course 
regulating  the  amount  to  the  capacity  of  the  children. 

INDEPENDENT   RECITATION 

The  teacher  should  aim  to  have  a  child  give  the 
whole  recitation,  in  his  own  words  and  own  way  of 
course,  without  questions  or  suggestions.  It  may  be 
necessary  at  first  to  ask  questions,  in  order  to  elicit  all 
the  child  has  learned  but  he  should  be  asked  to  tell  the 
whole  story  without  prompting,  and  later,  if  he  is 
unable  to  go  on,  the  next  child  should  be  called  upon 
to  proceed.  In  any  case  even  when  the  child  can  tell 
the  whole  thing,  he  need  not  be  allowed  to  do  so,  but 
may  be  interrupted  and  the  next  child  asked  to  go  on 
with  the  recitation. 


228 


Information 

QUIZ    QUESTIONS 

Though  questions  that  serve  to  prompt  the  child 
should  be  discarded  as  soon  as  possible,  "  quiz  "  ques- 
tions that  test  the  child's  knowledge  and  understand- 
ing should  be  made  use  of  constantly  to  make  sure  that 
the  child's  information  is  not  mere  rote  memory  and 
that  he  really  knows  what  he  is  talking  about. 

For  instance,  if  the  child  says,  "  My  body  has  a 
head  " — then  hesitates,  the  teacher  should  not  ask  the 
prompting  question,  "  What  next?  "  or  "  What  else?  " 
or  "  What  is  this?  "  but  wait  for  the  child  to  make  the 
effort  to  remember  "trunk."  When,  however,  the 
child  has  finished,  the  teacher  should  "  quiz  "  him  thus, 
"  What  do  you  mean  by  '  trunk  '  ?  "  or  "  Which  part  of 
your  body  is  called  the  trunk?  " 

Review  the  various  groups  of  facts  as  finished  and 
from  time  to  time  thereafter,  starting  the  child  off 
in  his  recitation  by  a  general  direction  or  question 
rather  than  a  specific  one.  Thus  for  example,  ask 
him,  "What  do  you  know  about  your  body?"  or 
"  Tell  me  all  you  know  about  your  body." 

This  is  better  than  several  questions,  first  about  the 
lips,  then  about  the  tongue,  then  about  the  teeth,  and 
so  on,  for  it  exacts  more  mental  effort,  more  thought 
in  the  association  and  arrangement  of  ideas. 

These  requirements  call  for  some  mental  effort  — 
close  attention,  association,  classification,  and  the  chil- 

229 


Child  Training 

dren  though  starting  with  Httle  ability  to  make  this 
effort  should  develop  more  and  more  as  the  lessons 
progress  —  the  cultivation  of  these  qualities  being  quite 
as  important  and  as  desirable  as  the  information  ac- 
quired. 

Following,  therefore,  is  a  syllabus  of  the  whole  field 
of  knowledge  that  an  educated  child  under  school  age 
may  be  expected  to  acquire.  Most  of  it  should  inter- 
est him,  but  whether  it  does  or  not  he  should  be  re- 
quired to  react  and  to  make  the  effort  to  retain  for 
he  should  acquire  the  habit  of  making  a  mental  effort 
whenever  necessary  whether  he  is  interested  or  not. 
This  is  the  first  step  in  learning  how  to  study. 

The  syllabus  aims  to  show  both  how  much  and  how 
little  may  be  taught.  Of  course  its  suggestions  are 
not  to  be  followed  too  literally  and  the  teacher  should 
expand  a  topic,  or  on  the  contrary  abridge  it  or  omit 
it  altogether,  if  the  interest  or  ability  of  the  child  in- 
dicates that  it  would  be  wise  to  do  so. 

SYLLABUS  OF  INFORMATION  LESSONS 

THE    BODY 

Is  made  of  head,  trunk  and  limbs. 
Has  one  forehead,  one  nose,  one  mouth,  one  tongue 
one  chin.     Learn  following  nursery  rimes : 

Brow  bender. 
Eye  peeper. 
Nose  smeller, 
230 


Information 

Mouth  eater, 
Chin  chopper. 

Knock  at  the  door;  {Tap  on  forehead) 

Peep  in ;  {Look  into  eyes) 

Lift  up  the  latch  ;  {Raise  nose  with  finger) 

Walk  in.  {Put  finger  in  mouth) 

Has  two  eyes,  two  ears,  two  cheeks,  two  lips,  two 
shoulders,  two  arms,  two  elbows,  two  wrists,  two 
hands,  two  thumbs,  two  legs,  two  knees,  two  ankles, 
two  feet. 

Has  five  fingers  on  each  hand,  five  toes  on  each  foot. 
Learn  to  say  the  following  rime;  touch  a  finger  as 
you  say  each  line : 

This  little  pig  went  to  market ; 
This  little  pig  stayed  at  home. 
This  little  pig  had  roast  meat; 
This  little  pig  had  none ; 
This  little  pig  cried  "  Wee,  wee, 
I  can't  find  my  way  home." 

Head.  Has  hair.  Hair  is  called  blonde,  if  light, 
brunette,  if  black  or  very  dark.  Use  only  your  own 
comb  and  brush. 

Forehead.  Don't  scowl,  frown  or  look  cross.  It 
makes  ugly  wrinkles. 

Eye  has  brow,  lid,  lashes,  pupil,  tears.  What  color 
are  your  eyes  and  your  friend's?  Blue,  brown,  hazel? 
Don't  rub  eyes.  When  there  is  anything  in  the  eye, 
pull  upper  lid  down  over  lower  and  blow  nose. 

231 


Child  Training 

Ear  has  shell  to  catch  sound,  and  a  drum.  Clean 
ears  carefully.  Don't  stick  anything  in  that  might  hurt 
the  drum. 

Nose  has  two  nostrils.  Don't  snuffle.  Don't 
breathe  through  mouth. 

Mouth  has  lips,  tongue,  gums,  teeth.  Lips  —  Don't 
pout.  Tongue  should  be  pink,  not  white  coated, 
if  well.  First  teeth  are  called  "  milk  teeth."  Per- 
manent teeth  begin  to  come  about  six  years  of  age. 
Clean  up  and  down  not  across  with  brush  and  tooth 
paste  at  night  and  antiseptic  mouth  wash  every  morn- 
ing. Don't  pick  teeth  with  pins  or  needles.  Use  den- 
tal floss.  Don't  bite  off  thread,  don't  crack  nuts,  don't 
eat  very  sour  nor  very  hot  things.  Chew  food  thor- 
oughly. Don't  taste  anything  unclean  or  improper. 
Always  put  your  hand  over  your  mouth  if  you  must 
yawn. 

Throat.  If  food  goes  down  wrong  "lane"  drop 
on  hands  and  knees  or  stand  on  head. 

Chest.  Feel  ribs  and  collar  bones.  Two  lungs,  one 
on  each  side  take  in  air,  as  a  sponge  does  water.  Air 
is  necessary  to  life.  Get  as  much  pure  out-of-door  air 
as  you  can. 

Heart.  Feel  heart  beat  on  left  hand  side  and  listen 
to  the  heart  beat  of  others.  Heart  pumps  blood 
through  the  body. 

Arteries  and  Veins.     Are  the  pipes  through  which 

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blood  is  pumped.  Feel  pulse  with  tips  of  fingers 
placed  on  thumb-side  of  wrist. 

Stomach.  Digests  food  which  makes  blood,  which 
builds  up  body. 

Muscle.  Feel  muscles  in  jaws,  arm,  leg,  etc.,  when 
you  contract  them.  Muscles  do  the  work  of  the  body. 
Exercising  makes  them  grow. 

Bone.  Feel  your  skull,  bones  in  arm,  in  front  of 
legs,  etc.  Hold  backbone  erect.  Crazy  bone  is  in  el- 
bow. 

Joints.  Are  wherever  you  can  bend  your  body. 
Find  as  many  as  you  can.  Knee  cap  is  over  knee 
joint.     Feel  it. 

Hand.  Has  palm,  notice  its  lines,  thumbs,  index 
finger,  middle  finger,  little  finger,  knuckles,  nails. 
Clean  under  nails  with  brush,  trim  them  round  —  don't 
bite  them  —  push  back  skin  at  base  of  nail  till  white 
"  moon  "  shows. 

Feet.     Don't  wear  tight  shoes. 

CLOTHING 

(Samples  of  all  materials  should  be  in  hand  for  the 
following  lessons  and  when  feasible  the  raw  materials 
and  the  process  of  manufacture  should  also  be  shown 
or  illustrated.) 

Cotton  Cloth.  Is  cool.  Your  light  clothes  and 
some  under-clothes  are  made  of  cotton  cloth.     Ravel 


Child  Training 

out  a  thread.  Cotton  comes  from  a  plant.  It  is  white 
and  fluffy  when  it  grows.  It  is  colored  with  dyes. 
Name  as  many  other  things  as  you  can  that  are  made 
of  cotton. 

Woolen  Cloth.  Is  warm.  It  costs  more  than  cot- 
ton. It  is  made  from  the  hair  of  sheep.  Ravel  out 
a  thread.  Burn  a  thread  of  this  and  smell  it  and  burn 
a  thread  of  cotton  and  smell  the  difference.  One 
grows  out  of  the  ground  and  is  a  plant  or  vegetable, 
the  other  is  an  animal.     Wool  shrinks  when  washed. 

Linen.  Is  fine  and  durable.  Your  handkerchiefs 
are  made  of  it.  It  also  is  from  a  plant  —  the  flax  — 
but  is  not  as  cheap  as  cotton. 

Silk.  Is  smooth  and  glossy.  It  is  spun  by  a  cater- 
pillar called  the  silk  worm.  He  closes  himself  in  with 
this  silk,  making  himself  a  covering  that  looks  like  a 
peanut  and  is  called  a  cocoon,  and  when  he  has  gone  to 
sleep  inside,  men  unwind  the  silk. 

Leather.  Is  made  from  the  skin  of  the  cow.  Why 
are  shoes  made  of  it? 

Buttons.  Are  made  of  bone  and  "  Mother  of 
Pearl  "  which  is  shell 

FOOD 

(These  lessons  should  be  given  at  the  table  or  in 
the  kitchen  or  pantry  —  in  any  case  always  with 
samples  in  hand.     When  possible,  experiments  should 

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be  made  or  excursions  taken  to  see  the  origin  or  pro- 
duction of  food.) 

Water.  Comes  from  springs  or  wells,  which  are 
made  by  rain  soaking  through  ground.  Visit  reser- 
voir or  water  supply. 

Milk  and  Cream.  Come  from  the  cow.  Cream  is 
lighter  and  therefore  rises  to  top.  Anything  lighter 
than  milk  or  water  floats  in  it,  anything  heavier  sinks. 
Crumb  bread  into  milk,  it  floats  and  is  lighter.  Put 
salt  or  sugar  in  water,  it  sinks  and  is  heavier. 

Butter.  Is  made  from  cream  (show  process). 
Milk  sours  and  becomes  clabber. 

Eggs.  Are  laid  by  the  hen.  Hunt  nest  and  eggs 
when  feasible.  Other  birds  lay  eggs  too.  Fish  also 
lay  eggs. 

Cereal.  Oatmeal,  grits,  cornmeal,  etc.,  are  made 
from  the  seeds  of  plants. 

Bread.  Is  made  of  flour  which  is  made  of  wheat 
which  grows  in  the  field. 

Meat.  Is  the  flesh  of  animals  —  the  cow  (beef, 
veal),  the  pig  (pork,  bacon,  ham),  the  sheep  (lamb, 
mutton),  chicken,  etc. 

Vegetables.  Potatoes  grow  under  ground;  toma- 
toes on  a  plant ;  peas  and  beans  in  a  pod,  etc. 

Fruits.  Apples  and  pears,  strawberries,  raspberries, 
etc.,  are  fruits.  Peaches  and  cherries  have  only  one 
seed. 

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Sugar.  Comes  from  a  plant  called  the  sugar  cane 
and  also  from  a  beet. 

Salt.     Comes  from  salt  sea  water. 

Spices.     Come  from  plants. 

(Other  foods  may  be  studied  in  the  same  way.) 

FURNITURE 

Chairs,  tables,  desks,  etc.  Are  made  of  the  wood 
of  trees,  usually  mahogany,  oak  or  pine.  Show  one 
of  each  kind. 

Beds.  The  bedstead  is  made  of  wood  or  of  metal 
dug  out  of  the  ground.  The  mattress  is  stuffed  with 
hair  or  cotton  to  make  it  soft  and  springy, 

China  Plates,  Cups  and  Saucers,  Vases,  etc.  Are 
made  of  clay  baked.  Show  children  a  "  willow  ware  " 
blue  china  plate,  point  out  the  willow  tree  and  have 
them  learn  the  old  rime  that  describes  the  picture : 

Two  pigeons  flying  high, 
Chinese  vessel  sailing  by, 
Weeping  willow  hanging  o'er. 
Bridge  with  three  men,  if  not  four. 

Chinese  temple,  there  it  stands, 
Seems  to  cover  all  the  lands, 
Apple  tree  with  apples  on, 
A  pretty  fence  to  end  my  song. 

Tell  them  the  story  of  the  picture. 
A  Chinese  girl  loved  a  poor  man  but  her   father 
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wanted  her  to  marry  a  rich  man  who  loved  her.  The 
girl  and  the  poor  man  ran  away  across  the  bridge 
(see  them)  with  the  father  after  them  (see  him). 
But  they  escaped  in  a  boat  to  the  island  (see  it), 
where  they  lived  happily  till  the  jealous,  rich  lover 
came  in  a  boat  (see  it)  and  set  fire  to  their  home, 
from  the  ashes  of  which  they  arose  as  two  pigeons 
(see  them). 

Knives,  Forks,  Spoofis.  Are  made  of  iron  or  sil- 
ver, which  are  metals  dug  out  of  the  ground. 

Stationery.  What  do  you  think  pens,  pencils,  ink, 
and  —  here  is  a  hard  one  —  paper  are  made  of? 

LIGHT 

Sun.     Gives  light  by  day. 

Moon  and  Stars.  Give  light  by  night.  By  day 
sunlight  shines  in  through  the  glass  windows.  What 
you  can  see  through  is  called  transparent.  What  you 
can't  see  through  is  called  opaque. 

Glass.  Is  transparent,  but  it  is  made  of  melted 
sand  which  is  opaque! 

Magnifying  Glass.  If  you  take  a  reading  glass  or 
any  magnifying  glass  and  let  the  sun  shine  through 
it  so  as  to  make  a  fine  spot  of  light  on  your  hand  or 
a  piece  of  paper,  it  will  burn  you  or  scorch  the 
paper.  Try  it.  Long  years  ago  people  used  to  light 
fires  this  way.  A  magnifying  glass  enlarges  things. 
A  microscope  enlarges  small  things.     A  telescope  en- 

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Child  Training 

larges  far  away  things,  or  makes  them  seem  nearer. 
Some  spectacles  magnify,  some  twist  things.  Some 
window  panes  also  twist  things.  See  if  you  can  find 
one.  Look  at  print,  a  picture  or  your  hand,  through 
a  microscope  —  through  a  pair  of  spectacles.  Look 
at  a  distant  object  through  opera  glasses  or  a  tele- 
scope. 

Glass  Prisms.  If  you  let  the  sunlight  fall  through 
a  glass  prism  the  white  light  comes  out  separated  into 
six  colors,  red,  orange,  yellow,  blue,  green,  violet. 
Prove  it  by  experiment. 

Mirror.  Glass  with  quicksilver  on  the  back  is 
called  a  "  mirror  "  or  "  looking-glass  "  because  you 
can  look  at  yourself  in  it.  It  imitates  everything  you 
do.  Smile  —  it  smiles  back.  Scowl  or  look  cross  — 
it  doesn't  look  pretty,  does  it?  Can  you  see  your- 
self in  anything  else?  Long  time  ago  people  used 
to  use  bright,  shiny  brass  or  steel  for  mirrors.  When 
you  go  out  of  doors  try  to  find  a  spring  in  which  you 
can  see  yourself.  Long  ago  there  was  a  vain  young 
man  named  Narcissus  who  spent  so  much  time  ad- 
miring himself  in  a  spring  that  he  turned  into  a  flower 
hanging  over  the  edge.  Give  the  children  a  small 
mirror  —  not  a  broken  piece  with  which  they  might 
cut  themselves  —  and  allow  them  to  throw  a  dancing 
spot  of  light  on  the  walls  and  ceiling.  Tell  them  the 
story  of  the  Fairy  Tinker  Bell  who  was  the  playmate 
of  Peter  Pan,  the  boy  who  never  grew  up.     Tinker 

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was  a  dancing  spot  of  light  and  talked  by  jingling 
bells. 

Candles,  oil  lamps,  gas,  electricity  are  used  to  give 
light.     Which  is  the  best  and  why? 

Learn  this  riddle  for  a  candle : 

Little  Nan  Etticoat, 
In  a  white  petticoat, 
And  a  red  nose; 
The  longer  she  stands, 
The  shorter  she  grows. 

FIRE 

Light  is  made  by  something  on  fire.  The  sun  is 
on  fire,  the  candle  and  lamp  wick  are  on  fire,  the  elec- 
tric lamp  wire  is  white-hot. 

The  firefiy,  however,  gives  light  without  being  on 
fire  or  even  hot. 

You  can  start  a  fire  with  a  burning  glass  —  then 
you  get  your  fire  straight  from  the  sun  which  is  a  ball 
of  fire.  You  can  start  it  by  striking  sparks  from 
flint  with  steel,  or  you  can  start  it  with  matches. 

If  you  rub  your  hands  together  fast  they  get  warm. 
Try  it.  If  you  could  rub  sticks  together  fast  enough 
they  would  get  afire. 

Fire  is  used  to  heat  houses,  to  cook  food.  Can  you 
think  of  anything  else  it  is  used  for? 

If  you  heat  water  long  enough  it  will  bubble. 
This  is  boiling  and  when  water  boils  it  makes  steam. 

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Child  Training 

If  steam  is  bottled  up  it  will  burst  its  way  out.  Steam 
runs  engines.  Wood  and  coal  with  which  fire  is  made 
are  called  fuel. 

SOUND 

Stretch  threads  tightly  across  a  wooden  box  and 
twang  the  strings.  Sound  is  made  by  rapid  shaking 
(vibrating).  Open  the  piano  so  that  the  strings 
show.  Strike  a  note  and  touch  its  string  gently.  You 
will  feel  the  shaking  and  if  you  stop  the  shaking  you 
stop  the  sound.  Strike  a  drinking  glass,  a  bell,  a 
lamp  globe  with  a  pencil  and  stop  the  sound,  by 
touching  it  with  your  finger.  Rub  your  finger  along 
the  edge  of  a  finger  bowl  till  it  gives  out  a  note. 
Stretch  a  string  on  a  stick,  a  violin,  banjo,  or  guitar, 
and  twang  it  as  you  do  so.  Stretch  it  still  tighter. 
The  tighter  the  string  the  higher  the  note.  Shorten 
the  string  by  "  stopping  "  it  so  that  only  part  vibrates. 
The  shorter  the  string  the  higher  the  note. 

ELECTRICITY    AND    MAGNETISM 

With  a  horse  shoe  magnet  try  picking  up  pins, 
sticks,  hairpins,  cuff  buttons,  pens,  pencils,  paper, 
needles  and  other  small  objects.  What  kind  of  things 
will  it  pick  dp?  This  is  magnetism.  Put  a  few 
flakes  of  torn  paper  on  the  table,  then  rub  the  back 
of  a  comb  briskly  over  your  coat  sleeve  and  hold  it 
to   the   bits   of   paper.     This   is  magnetism.     Shuffle 

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across  the  rug  without  Hfting  your  shoes,  and  touch 
another's  cheek  or  chin  with  5^our  finger.  This  is 
electricity.  Electricity  rings  bells,  makes  lights, 
works  the  telephone.     Lightning  is  electricity. 

TIME 

The  clock  tells  what  time  to  get  up,  to  go  to  bed, 
to  eat  our  meals,  to  work,  to  play.  Watch  the  pen- 
dulum or  second  hand  of  a  clock  that  ticks  seconds, 
or  suspend  a  ring  or  small  weight  by  a  string  39^/2 
inches  long  and  start  it  swinging.  No  matter  how 
wide  a  39>^  inch  pendulum  swings  it  takes  one  second 
for  a  swing.  Watch  the  second  hand  of  a  watch 
or  a  clock  go  once  round  the  face.  That  is  a  minute. 
Watch  the  minute  hand  at  intervals  till  it  also  has 
gone  round  the  face.  That  is  an  hour.  Learn  to  tell 
I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10,  II,  12  o'clock  by  the  short 
hand. 

Learn : 

Hickory,  dickory,  dock, 
The  mouse  ran  up  the  clock. 
The  clock  struck  one, 
And  down  he  run, 
Hickory,  dickory,  dock. 

Learn  riddle: 

When  is  a  clock  dangerous? 
Ans.     When  it  strikes  one. 
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Seven  days  make  a  week. 

Learn  the  days  of  the  week:     Monday,  Tuesday, 
Wednesday,  Thursday,  Friday,  Saturday,  Sunday. 
Learn : 

Monday's  child  is  fair  of  face, 
Tuesday's  child  is  full  of  grace, 
Wednesday's  child  is  born  to  woe, 
Thursday's  child  has  far  to  go, 
Friday's  child  is  loving  and  giving, 
Saturday's  child  has  to  work  for  its  living, 
But  the  child  that  is  born  on  the  Sabbath  day 
Is  blithe  and  bonny  and  good  and  gay. 

Learn  the  months  of  the  year  and  the  seasons. 
Learn : 

Thirty  days  hath  September, 

April,  June  and  November ; 

All  the  rest  have  thirty-one, 

Except  the  second  month  alone; 

To  it  we  twenty-eight  assign, 

Till  Leap  Year  gives  it  twenty-nine. 

Learn  when  Christmas  comes,  when  snow,  when 
flowers,  when  rain,  when  wind. 

HISTORY 

Give  child  an  idea  of  historical  time.  Instead  of 
dates  speak  of  The  Present,  Little  while  ago,  Long 
ago  and  Long,  long  ago,  and  tell  him  what  happened 
at  those  times  as  follows : 

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Present.  (Tell  child  about  two  or  three  great  men 
and  two  or  three  important  events.) 

Little  while  ago.  George  Washington  was  father 
of  our  country,  the  United  States. 

Long  ago.     Christ  lived. 

Long,  long  ago.     Old  Testament  stories  took  place. 

MEASURES    OF    LENGTH 

This  is  an  inch  (show  inch  rule,  and  test  objects 
brought  to  be  measured).  Find  everything  you  can 
that  is  about  an  inch  long. 

This  is  a  foot.  Find  everything  you  can  that  is 
about  a  foot  long. 

How  tall  are  you  ?     Find  out. 

This  is  a  yard.  How  many  feet  in  a  yard?  Find 
everything  you  can  that  is  about  a  yard  long. 

It  is  a  mile  to  .     Have  you  ever  been  there? 

Have  you  ever  walked  there? 

MEASURES    OF    CAPACITY 

Liquid  Measure: 

This  is  a  pint.  See  how  many  drinking  glasses  one 
pint  will  fill. 

This  is  a  quart.     See  how  many  pints  it  will  fill. 

This  is  a  gallon.     See  how  many  quarts  it  will  fill. 

Fill  bottles,  tin  cans,  pitchers,  buckets,  etc.,  from 
these  measures  and  see  how  much  they  will  hold. 

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Child  Training 

Let  children  play  store  using  bottles  filled  with  water 
for  merchandise. 

Dry  Measure: 

Explain  as  above,  a  dry  pint,  dry  quart,  peck  and 
bushel. 

Let  the  children  play  store  using  cans  filled  with 
sand  to  represent  sugar,  peas,  corn,  coffee,  tea,  etc. 

MEASURE  OF  WEIGHT 

This  is  a  pound.  Put  it  on  one  side  of  a  pair  of 
scales  and  find  other  things  that  will  nearly  balance  it, 
that  is,  weigh  a  pound. 

Find  out  how  much  you  weigh. 

VERTICAL    LINES 

Are  "  standing  up  "  lines  like  fence  posts  and  tele- 
graph poles. 

Ask  the  children  what  other  things  are  vertical  — 
themselves,  when  they  stand  erect,  a  lamp  post,  a  tree, 
a  table  leg,  edge  of  a  door,  etc. 

Make  a  "plumb  line"  by  tying  a  small  weight  to 
the  end  of  a  string  two  or  three  feet  long.  If  the 
other  end  is  held  in  the  fingers  the  line  is  always  ver- 
tical. Builders  put  a  plumb  line  along  side  the  walls 
they  are  building  to  see  if  they  are  vertical.  Test  in 
this  way  the  edge  of  the  picture  frames  on  the  wall, 
to  see  if  they  are  "  hanging  straight,"  that  is,  "  verti- 

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cally."     Have  the  children  run  their  fingers  along  all 
the  vertical  lines  they  can  see  in  the  room. 

HORIZONTAL    LINES 

Are  lying  down  lines.  Ask  the  children  to  name 
all  the  things  they  can  think  of  that  are  horizontal, — 
themselves,  when  they  are  asleep,  the  floor,  a  telegraph 
wire,  etc.  Have  them  run  their  fingers  along  all  the 
horizontal  lines  they  can  see  in  the  room.  Use  a 
"  level,"  or  improvise  one  by  filling  a  tall,  straight 
sided  bottle,  or  a  small  vial  with  water,  all  except  a 
bubble  of  air.  Lay  the  bottle  on  its  side  and  it  is 
horizontal  when  the  bubble  is  centered.  Lay  this  level 
on  objects  to  see  if  they  are  really  horizontal. 

PARALLEL   LINES 

Lie  in  the  same  direction.  They  may  be  parallel 
vertical  lines  and  parallel  horizontal  lines.  Ask  the 
children  to  name  all  the  things  they  can  that  are 
parallel  —  gate  posts  (vertical  parallel  lines),  a  rail- 
way (horizontal  parallel  lines). 

ANGLES 

Are  corners.  (Illustrate  with  two  sticks,  pencils  or 
rulers.)  H  it  is  a  square  corner  it  is  called  a  right 
angle.  H  it  is  bigger  than  a  right  angle  it  is  called  a 
blunt  angle,  if  less  a  sharp  angle. 


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GEOMETRICAL   FORMS 

Give  the  children  each  a  sheet  of  paper  and  have 
them  place  the  short  edge  nearest  them.  Ask  them  to 
point  to  the  front  edge,  back  edge,  right  edge,  left 
edge.  Then  show  them  pieces  of  cardboard  or  thin 
board  cut  in  one  of  the  geometrical  forms,  circle,  ob- 
long, triangle,  about  2  inches  in  diameter.  Tell  them 
the  names  and  ask  them  to  name  other  things  that 
are  square,  round  (like  a  circle  but  not  like  a  ball, 
etc.),  and  to  choose  one  form,  asking  for  it,  by  name. 
Have  them  then  center  that  form  on  the  sheet,  using 
only  their  eye  to  do  so;  then,  holding  it  down  firmly 
with  the  fingers  of  the  left  hand,  draw  close  round 
it  with  a  pencil,  being  careful  that  neither  the  form 
nor  pencil  slips. 

(From  this  point  on  most  of  these  lessons  are  better 
given  out  of  doors.) 

POINTS    OF    COMPASS 

Go  out  of  doors.  Stand  and  face  where  the  sun 
rises.  That  is  called  "  east."  Hold  your  arms  out 
straight  to  the  sides.  Your  right  arm  points  south, 
your  left  arm  points  north,  back  is  toward  the  west. 

Look  at  a  compass.  The  needle  is  drawn  to  the 
north  by  magnetism.  It  points  north  no  matter  in 
what  direction  you  turn  the  box. 

If  you  walk  straight  ahead  in  the  direction  you  are 
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facing  for  a  day,  you  would  get  to  ,  if  you  kept 

on  going  straight  ahead  for  a  week  you  would  get 

to  ,  and  if  you  kept  straight  ahead  for  a  month 

you  would  get  to , 

If  you  walked  in  the  same  way  to  the  sontli  you 
would  get  to . 

If  you  walked  in  the  same  way  to  the  nortJi  you 
would  get  to . 

If  you  walked  in  the  same  way  to  the  zvcst  you 
would  get  to . 

TRANSPORTATION 

Trains.  You  might  go  in  a  train  cross  country, 
over  rivers  or  bridges,  through  tunnels,  or  in  other 
ways. 

Carriages,  bicycles  and  automobiles  can  be  used  on 
land. 

Sleds  are  used  over  ice  and  snow. 

Boats  are  used  over  water  —  canoes  are  made  to  go 
by  paddle ;  row  boats  by  oars ;  sail  boats  by  sails ;  steam 
boats  by  steam. 

Aeroplanes  and  balloons  are  used  in  the  air. 

GEOGRAPHY 

A  hill  you  all  know. 
A  valley  is  a  hollow  between  hills. 
A  brook  or  river  always  nms  down  hill,  growing 
larger  and  larger  till  it  reaches  the  ocean. 

If  you  went  up  in  a  balloon  so  higli  that  the  house 
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looked  like  a  spot  and  the  road  like  a  line,  imagine 
how  the  country  would  look  with  its  houses  and  rivers 
and  roads  so  far  off,  and  make  a  picture  of  it  in  sand 
or  on  paper.     This  is  called  a  map. 

If  you  went  up  still  higher,  so  far  that  you  could 
see  nothing  at  all  on  the  ground,  you  would  see  as 
you  looked  down  that  the  earth  is  not  flat,  but  a  very 
large  ball.  This  is  the  world.  A  big  part  of  it  is 
water,  called  oceans. 

Away  off  in  that  direction  is  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

Away  off  in  the  other  direction  is  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

(Explain  where  Europe  and  Africa  are,  where 
South  America,  where  Asia;  what  races  and  nations 
live  there  and  how  the  people  speak  and  act  —  that 
is,  their  language  and  customs,  as  much  as  the  children 
are  interested  in  or  can  even  partly  understand.  It 
is  not  unusual  for  children  of  six  or  even  younger 
to  display  an  interest  in,  and  real  understanding 
and  appreciation  of,  the  main  divisions  of  the  world 
and  maps,  though  this  subject  is  generally  supposed 
to  be  beyond  the  comprehension  of  a  child  of  this 
age.) 

RACES 

A  great  many  people  in  the  world,  but  not  all,  are 
white,  like  ourselves. 

Many  of  the  people  are  yellow  with  slanting  eyes  — ■ 
the  Chinamen  and  Japanese. 

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Some  of  the  people  are  black  with  crimpy,  black 
hair.     They  are  called  negroes. 

Some  of  the  people  are  red  —  the  Indians. 

THE    FAMILY 

The  head  of  your  family  is  your  father  and  mother. 
You  are  their  son  or  daughter.  Their  fathers  and 
mothers  are  your  grandfathers  and  your  grandmoth- 
ers. 

Your  uncle  is  your  father's  or  mother's  brother. 

You  are  his  nephew  or  niece. 

Your  aunt  is  your  father's  or  mother's  sister. 

You  are  her  nephew  or  niece. 

Your  cousin  is  your  uncle's  or  aunt's  child. 

GOVERNMENT 

Your  family  and  a  great  many  other  families  make 
your  town  or  city  and  have  a  mayor  over  them. 

A  great  many  towns  and  cities  with  the  land  be- 
tween make  your  State  with  a  Governor  over  it. 

A  great  many  states  make  your  country  —  the 
United  States  —  with  a  President  over  all. 

A  great  many  countries  make  the  world. 

Laws  are  rules  that  say  what  you  must  not  do  and 
some  of  the  things  you  must  do. 

Police  see  that  you  obey  the  laws. 

Mail  means  letters,  bundles,  etc.,  that  the  govern- 
ment carries.  The  postman  brings  it  to  you  and  car- 
ries it  away.     Stamps  pay  for  carrying  the  mail. 

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Child  Training 

A  Postcard  costs  only  i  cent,  but  you  can't  send  a 
long  message  on  it  and  every  one  can  read  it. 

Letters  cost  2  cents  usually,  if  sealed — i  cent,  if 
not  sealed  and  not  written  but  printed. 

The  I  cent  and  2  cent  stamps  have  a  picture  of 
George  Washington  on  them.     Examine  them. 

Money  is  made  by  your  country  of  copper,  nickel, 
silver,  gold  and  paper. 

The  cent  (examine  one  and  find  out  vi^hat  is  on  it) 
is  made  of  copper  and  will  buy  a  banana,  a  pencil,  a 
newspaper.     What  else  ? 

Five  cents  —  as  many  cents  as  you  have  fingers  on 
one  hand  —  make  a  nickel.  Examine  one.  It  will 
buy  a  loaf  of  bread.     What  else? 

Ten  cents  or  two  nickels  —  as  many  cents  as  you 
have  fingers  on  two  hands  —  make  a  dime.  Examine 
one.  It  is  made  of  silver.  Why  is  it  worth  more 
than  a  nickel,  even  though  smaller?  What  will  ten 
cents  buy  ? 

A  twenty-five  cent  piece  is  called  a  quarter.  It  is 
silver.     Examine  one.     Tell  what  it  will  buy. 

A  dollar  is  worth  four  quarters.  Examine  one. 
If  you  made  a  pile  of  them  as  high  as  the  ceiling  it 
would  buy  an  automobile.  Two  piles  as  high  as  the 
ceiling  would  buy  a  small  house. 

Close  your  eyes  and  tell  which  coins  are  which,  by 
feeling  them  when  altogether  and  when  handed  you 
separately. 

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Make  paper  coins,  as  follows:  Press  a  piece  of 
paper  tightly  over  a  real  coin,  and  holding  both  steady, 
nib  the  paper  with  the  flat  unsharpened  end  of  a  pencil 
held  vertically  till  design  shows.  Make  a  number  of 
each  coins  in  this  way.  Cut  them  out  with  scissors 
and  use  in  playing  store. 

RELIGION 

(Parent  give  own  ideas  and  beliefs.) 

OCCUPATIONS 

Farmers  raise  food  which  we  must  have  to  live,  so 
farming  is  the  most  important  of  all  occupations. 

Manufacturers  make  things,  such  as  clothing,  fur- 
niture, etc. 

Merchants  sell  what  the  farmers  raise  and  manu- 
facturers make. 

Mechanics  are  men  who  work  chiefly  with  their 
hands,  such  as  carpenters,  painters,  masons,  plumbers, 
blacksmiths,  etc. 

Professional  men  work  chiefly  with  their  heads, 
such  as  doctors,  lawyers,  ministers,  teachers,  artists, 
musicians,  authors. 

What  do  you  want  to  be,  and  why? 

ASTRONOMY 

The  sun  is  a  ball  of  fire.  It  will  burn  you  if  it 
shines  on  you  long.  It  is  very,  very  far  ofi^  and 
very,   very  big;  bigger  than  anything  in  the  world; 

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Child  Training 

bigger  —  much  bigger  than  the  world.  The  sun  rises 
in  the  east  and  sets  in  the  west.  Drive  a  stake  in  the 
open  ground  where  the  sun  will  shine  on  it  all  day- 
long. Draw  a  line  on  the  shadow  or  put  a  pebble  at 
the  end  of  it  every  hour  or  so  during  the  day.  When 
the  shadow  is  shortest  it  is  noon.  At  night  the  sun 
"  goes  back  "  on  the  other  side  of  the  earth. 

The  moon  is  at  times  crescent,  then  half  full,  and 
when  it  is  entirely  round  —  full.  Like  the  sun  it  also 
rises  and  sets.  Sometimes  you  can  see  it  in  the  day 
time. 

The  stars  are  suns  but  so  far  off  they  seem  tiny. 

The  Japanese  flag  has  a  sun  on  it,  the  Turkish  flag 
a  crescent  moon  and  a  star,  and  the  United  States  flag 
has  stars. 

METEOROLOGY 

A  thermometer  tells  whether  it  is  hot  or  cold.  Put 
it  in  the  sun,  breathe  on  the  bulb  or  put  it  in  hot  water 
and  watch  it.  Put  it  in  the  shade  or  cold  water  and 
watch  it.  What  does  it  do  when  it  is  hot  and  what 
does  it  do  when  it  is  cold? 

Air  is  all  round  us  though  you  can't  see  it.  When 
it  blows,  we  call  it  wind.  We  can't  see  the  wind  either 
but  you  can  see  what  it  does.  It  roars  up  the  chimney, 
blows  smoke,  shakes  flags,  whirls  up  the  dust,  bangs 
shutters,  whistles  round  the  corners. 

Ice  is  water  made  solid,  that  is,  frozen  by  cold. 
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Fog  IS  water  hanging  in  the  air. 

Cloud  is  fog  high  up  in  the  air. 

Rain  falls  from  a  cloud  when  it  is  chilled.  When 
the  sun  shines  while  it  is  raining  we  usually  see  a  rain- 
bow. The  sun  goes  through  the  rain  drops  as  it  does 
through  a  glass  prism  (see  lesson  on  Light)  and  comes 
out  in  bands  of  red,  orange,  yellow,  green,  blue  and 
violet. 

Learn: 

Rainbow  at  night 
Is  the  sailor's  delight; 
Rainbow  in  the  morning, 
Sailors  take  warning. 

Hail  is  rain  turned  into  ice.  It  starts  as  rain  but  is 
frozen  before  it  reaches  the  ground. 

Snow  is  frozen  cloud  falling.  Catch  flakes  on  a 
black  cloth  and  see  how  beautiful  they  are. 

Lightning  is  electricity.  Once  upon  a  time  a  man 
named  Benjamin  Franklin  went  out  doors  while  it 
was  lightning  and  flew  a  kite  in  the  clouds.  He  put 
a  key  to  the  end  of  the  kite  string  and  when  he 
touched  the  key  he  drew  forth  sparks  of  electricity. 

Thunder  is  made  by  the  lightning.  Thunder  can't 
hurt  you  and  it  's  cowardly  to  be  afraid  of  lightning. 

GEOLOGY 

Sandstone  is  rock  made  of  sand. 
Limestone  is  rock  made  of  shells  and  bones. 
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Child  Training 

Granite  is  very  hard  rock  made  by  fire. 

Soil  is  broken  rock.  If  dead  leaves,  roots,  etc., 
are  also  mixed  with  it,  it  is  called  loam  —  which  is 
very  rich  and  fertile,  that  is,  good  for  growing 
things. 

Coal  is  made  of  trees  that  were  buried  under  the 
earth  long,  long  ago. 

Metals  are  dug  out  of  the  earth. 

Iron  is  the  commonest  and  most  useful  —  why,  do 
you  think?  Steel  is  made  of  it.  What  are  iron  and 
steel  used  for?  Iron  will  rust  if  not  painted  — 
quickly  if  put  in  water  or  the  damp,  more  slowly  in 
the  air.  Iron  covered  with  tin  is  used  for  most  kitchen 
things. 

Copper  is  used  for  cents,  telephone  and  telegraph 
wires,  etc. 

Brass  is  not  dug  out  of  the  ground  but  is  made  of 
copper  and  zinc  (another  metal)  mixed. 

Gold  and  silver  are  called  precious  metals  because 
they  are  very  hard  to  get  and  are  beautiful  for  jew- 
elry. 

Precious  stones  are  also  dug  out  of  the  earth. 

The  sapphire  is  blue. 

The  ruby  is  red. 

The  diamond  is  clear  white  or  slightly  colored  and 
very  sparkling  because  it  is  the  hardest  of  stones. 

The  pearl  is  not  a  stone  but  is  made  by  the  oyster  in 
his  shell. 

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Information 

(The  following  instruction  is  best  given  in  the  spring 
and  summer,  because  the  subjects  will  then  be  season- 
able and  specimens  may  be  easily  seen.) 

PLANTS 

Flozvers.  Take  the  children  out  on  excursions  to 
find  flowers  or  have  them  bring  flowers  to  the  class. 
Tell  them  to  name  anything  interesting  about  each 
flower,  and  review  from  time  to  time  by  having  them 
name  the  flower  from  the  specimen  or  picture,  describe 
it  when  given  the  name,  or  tell  it  with  eyes  closed  when 
it  has  a  perfume. 

Some  of  the  flowers  they  should  know  are :  * 

Jack  in  the  Pulpit  May  Apple 

Blood  Root  Dandelion 

Arbutus  Daisy 

Anemone  Buttercup 

Spring  Beauty  Laurel 

Violet  Chicory 

Liverwort  Thistle 

Bluets  Clover 

Robin's   Plantain  Queen  Anne's  Lace 

Mustard  Yarrow 

Flag  Butter  and  Eggs 

*  The  wild  flowers  are  described  and  many  of  tlicm  illustrated 
so  that  they  can  be  readily  identified  in  a  number  of  popular 
books,  such  as  "  How  to  Know  the  Wild  IHowers,"  "  Nature's 
Garden,"  etc. 


Child  Training 

Milk  Weed  Cherry  Blossom 
Golden  Rod  Geranium 
Aster  Morning  Glory- 
Lilac  Jonquil 
Tulip  Narcissus 
Sweet  Pea  Honeysuckle 
Rose  Pansy 
Forsythia  Nasturtium 
Judas'  Bush  Chrysanthemum 
Spiraea  Lilies 
Apple  Blossom  Sunflower 
Peach   Blossom  Carnation 

Fruits.  The  heart  of  the  flower  goes  on  growing 
after  the  other  part  dies  and  this  heart  becomes  the 
fruit.  Find  the  tiny  apple,  peach,  etc.,  after  the  blos- 
som has  withered  and  died. 

Vegetables  are  fruits. 

Nuts  are  fruits. 

The  apple  and  pear  have  several  seeds. 

The  apple  juice  is  called  cider  and  this  turns  to 
vinegar. 

The  peach,  cherry  and  plum  have  but  one  seed. 

Oranges  and  bananas  grow  in  warm  countries. 

Some  berries  are  the  strawberry,  raspberry,  black- 
berry. 

Watermelon  and  canteloupe  are  berries. 
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Grapes  are  used  to  make  wine. 

Fruit  has  seeds  which,  put  into  the  ground,  grow 
into  a  plant. 

Try  planting  a  bean. 

Trees.  Have  the  children  collect  leaves  of  the  most 
common  trees  and  learn  to  recognize  the  tree  from  the 
shape  of  its  leaf.  Each  child  should  make  an  outline 
drawing  of  each  leaf  studied.  To  do  this,  have  him 
place  the  leaf  in  the  center  of  a  sheet  of  paper,  or 
better,  a  page  of  a  blank  book  reserved  for  these  leaf 
sketches  and,  while  holding  it  fast  with  the  left  hand 
fingers,  draw  around  it,  being  careful  not  to  let  the 
leaf  slip,  nor  the  pencil  get  under  the  edge.  These 
outlines  might  afterwards  be  painted  in  with  a  flat 
wash  of  water  color,  as  described  in  the  manual  train- 
ing lessons. 

The  leaves  and  trees  suggested  for  study  are :  * 

Maple  Dogwood 

Oak  Poplar 

Chestnut  Linden 

Beech  Birch 

Apple  Sycamore 

Peach  Sassafras 

Willow  Horse  Chestnut 

♦"Common   Trees" — by  V.   M.   Hillyer   describes   and   illus- 
trates the  leaves  and  tells  something  interesting  about  each  tree. 


Child  Training 


Locust 

Spruce 

Pine 

Cedar 

ANIMALS 

Sponge  is  an  animal  that  lives  in  the  water  when 
alive,  but  it  is  a  very  low  form  as  it  has  no  feet  nor 
arms  nor  head  nor  eyes  nor  ears  and  cannot  move  from 
the  spot  where  it  is  attached.  It  has,  however,  a  great 
many  mouths.  All  the  holes  you  see  are  mouths  and 
inside  is  its  stomach. 

Worms  are  higher  animals  than  sponges  because 
they  have  a  head,  eyes,  ears,  etc.,  and  can  move  about. 
They  are  useful,  for  they  help  the  farmer.  They 
move  about  in  the  soil,  loosening  it  and  making  it  rich. 
Caterpillars  are  not  worms.  Caterpillars  turn  into 
moths  or  butterflies;  worms  never  turn  into  anything 
else. 

Star  Fish  have  five  arms  like  a  star  and  there  is  an 
eye  at  the  end  of  each  arm.  The  mouth  and  stomach 
are  in  the  center.  If  one  arm  is  cut  off,  the  star  fish 
grows  another  arm  to  take  its  place. 

Oysters  and  Clams  have  two  shells  hinged  together 
and  the  oyster  inside  can  close  the  shells  or  open  them 
part  way.  Oysters  cannot  move,  but  clams  have  a 
single  foot  with  which  they  can  move  themselves 
about. 

Snails  and  Slugs.  A  snail  carries  its  shell  on  its 
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back  and  withdraws  into  it  when  frightened.  Slugs 
are  snails  without  shells.  In  some  countries  people  eat 
snails  as  we  do  oysters  and  clams. 

Lobsters  and  Crabs  are  green  when  alive,  but  become 
red  when  boiled.  Once  a  year  tiiey  leave  their  old 
shells  and  the  soft  skin  then  hardens  to  fonn  a  new 
shell  to  take  the  place  of  the  old. 

Insects.  Flies,  butterflies,  moths,  ants,  bees,  mos- 
quitoes, crickets,  grasshoppers,  beetles  and  spiders  are 
called  insects.  All  insects  except  the  spiders  and 
thousand  legs  have  six  feet. 

Flies  carry  disease  and  therefore  should  be  killed. 
The  "  blue  bottle  "  is  a  big  fly  with  a  noisy  buzz.  The 
horse  fly  is  a  very  big  fly  that  sucks  the  blood  of 
horses.  The  dragon  fly  is  born  on  the  water,  but  lives 
in  the  air.  It  eats  insects,  but  is  harmless  to  us.  The 
May  fly  is  born  in  the  water  and  dies  the  day  it  flies  in 
the  air. 

Butterflies  lay  eggs,  the  eggs  hatch  into  cater- 
pillars, which  feed  on  leaves.  The  caterpillar  then 
makes  a  cocoon  about  himself  and  goes  to  sleep  inside 
and  finally  comes  out  a  butterfly. 

Moths  grow  in  much  the  same  way  as  butterflies. 
Some  small  moths  eat  woolen  clothes  and  destroy 
plants  and  trees. 

Ants  are  the  most  intelligent  of  all  insects;  they 
work  in  gangs,  build  ant  hills  and  store  up  food.  They 
have  armies  and  go  to  war  against  other  ants.     The^' 

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Child  Training 

even  have  a  kind  of  insect  cow  which  they  ''  milk." 
They  are  able  to  talk  to  each  other  and  tell  where  food 
is,  where  danger  lies,  and  so  forth.  The  red  ants  often 
capture  the  black  ants  and  make  them  work  for  them. 
You  must  not  leave  any  food  around  for  the  ants  will 
soon  find  it  out  and  come  after  it. 

Bees  and  ants  are  very  hard  workers,  that  is  why  we 
say  "  as  busy  as  a  bee."  The  bees  gather  the  sweet 
juice  of  the  flowers  and  make  it  into  honey  for  their 
food.  They  store  this  in  the  honey  comb  which  they 
make  of  wax.  The  bees'  house  is  called  a  hive  and  in 
a  hive  there  are  three  kinds  of  bees,  the  Queen  bee,  the 
Workers  and  the  Drones.  The  Queen  bee  lays  all 
the  eggs.  Of  the  Workers,  some  gather  honey, 
some  make  the  honey  comb,  some  act  as  police, 
some  as  house  maids,  cleaning  and  keeping  the  hive 
in  order,  some  as  waiters.  Only  the  Drones  do 
nothing.  In  the  autumn  all  die  except  the  Queen  bee, 
who  lives  through  the  winter  and  lays  her  eggs  in  the 
spring. 

Mosquitoes  are  born  on  still  water  and  if  there  are 
no  ponds  nor  puddles,  we  will  have  no  mosquitoes. 
Only  the  female  mosquito  bites. 

The  Cricket  is  supposed  to  bring  good  luck  to  the 
house.  Its  song  starts  in  the  autumn  toward  evening 
and  continues  into  the  night.  They  are  great  leapers. 
If  you  could  jump  as  high  for  your  size,  you  could 
jump  over  the  house. 

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The  Grasshopper  and  the  Locust  in  some  countries 
fly  over  the  land  in  such  large  numbers  they  seem  like 
a  cloud  and  they  eat  every  live  thing  in  their  path,  de- 
stroying crops  entirely.  Read  Plague  in  Egypt  de- 
scribed in  Bible  (Exodus,  x,  12-19). 

The  Spider  spins  a  cobweb  for  a  net  to  catch  other 
insects  which  it  feeds  on.  Once  upon  a  time  a  beauti- 
ful maiden  named  Arachne  boasted  that  she  could  spin 
better  than  the  gods.  For  this  she  was  turned  into  a 
spider  and  made  to  keep  on  spinning  forever.  Some 
spiders  bite  or  sting. 

The  Daddy-long-legs  looks  like  a  very  long  legged 
spider  with  a  small  body,  but  it  makes  no  cobweb  and 
is  harmless. 

Thousand-legs  or  centipedes  have  really  only  about 
twenty  pairs  of  feet. 

Beetles  are  both  good  and  bad.  The  lady-bug,  also 
called  lady-bird,  is  a  good  beetle.  It  is  a  little  red, 
brown  or  black  beetle  with  spots  of  bright  colors.  It 
eats  insects  that  harm  the  plants.     Learn: 

Lady  bird !  lady  bird ! 

Fly  away  home; 
Your  house  is  on  fire, 

Your  children  will  burn. 

The  potato  bug  is  a  beetle  that  harms  the  potato 
plant. 

The  firefly  and  glow  worm  are  little  beetles.     Cages 
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Child  Training 

filled  with  them  are  used  for  lanterns  in  some  countries. 
The  light  of  the  firefly,  unlike  other  light,  is  cold. 

Fish  are  the  first  of  the  animals  we  have  studied  that 
have  a  back  bone.  The  higher  animals  all  have  back- 
bones. The  fish,  however,  has  cold  blood,  not  warm 
like  birds  and  dogs.  They  are  covered  with  scales 
and  breathe  water  through  gills.  They  swim  through 
the  water  and  steer  themselves  with  the  tail  and 
fins. 

The  whale  is  not  a  fish,  though  it  lives  in  the  water, 
for  it  must  come  up  to  get  air  to  breathe. 

Some  fish  can  only  live  in  salt  water,  some  only  in 
fresh. 

A  fish's  eggs  are  called  roe.  A  number  of  fish  to- 
Sfether  in  the  water  is  called  a  school  of  fish. 

The  shark  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  fish  in  the 
sea. 

The  eel  looks  like  a  snake,  but  it  is  not ;  it  is  a  fish 
and  is  good  for  food. 

Frogs  have  back  bones.  They  can  live  on  both  the 
water  and  land  and  they  lay  eggs  in  the  water.  The 
eggs  hatch  into  little  fish  called  tadpoles,  and  finally, 
the  tadpole  loses  its  tail  and  turns  into  a  frog. 

Toads  match  the  stones  or  ground,  or  bark  if  they 
live  on  trees,  so  that  the  snakes  and  birds  who  would 
eat  them,  cannot  find  them.  Toads  eat  insects  that  are 
harmful,  so  they  are  good  for  the  farmer  and  should 
not  be  killed  or  hurt.     They  do  not  make  warts,  as  was 

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once  thought,  though  they  should  not  be  touched  or 
handled. 

Reptiles.  Snakes,  turtles,  alligators,  etc.,  are  called 
reptiles.     Reptiles  have  a  back  bone  and  cold  blood. 

Some  snakes  are  very  poisonous. 

There  are  both  land  and  water  turtles.  The  land 
turtle  is  called  a  tortoise.  It  is  used  for  food;  its 
shell  is  used  for  making  tortoise  shell  combs  and  other 
articles. 

The  lizard  has  a  very  brittle  tail,  which  it  easily 
loses,  but  when  broken  off,  another  grows  in  its  place. 

The  chameleon  is  a  little  lizard  that  rapidly  changes 
its  color  to  match  the  surroundings.  The  alligator 
and  crocodile  are  huge  lizards. 

Birds  have  a  back  bone,  but,  unlike  all  the  ani- 
mals studied  before,  are  warm  blooded.  The  higher 
animals  have  back  bones ;  the  highest  animals  have 
back  bones  and  are  warm  blooded.  The  female  bird 
lays  the  eggs  and  sits  on  them  till  they  hatch  into  young 
birds.  The  male  bird  finds  the  food  and  feeds  them. 
The  stem  of  feathers  is  called  the  quill.  Quills  were 
once  used  for  pens  before  steel  pens  were  made.  Birds 
that  live  in  the  water  are  web-footed,  that  is,  have  skin 
between  the  toes  so  that  they  can  paddle  and  swim. 

Ducks  do  not  have  to  learn  how  to  swim,  they  take 
to  the  water  naturally.  Chickens  cannot  swim  because 
they  are  not  web-footed,  and  they  will  not  go  into  the 
water. 

263 


Child  Training 

Parrots  can  be  taught  to  speak. 

Hawks  prey  upon  other  birds. 

Owls  destroy  rats  and  mice.  They  are  supposed  to 
be  very  wise,  so  we  say,  "  As  wise  as  an  owl." 

The  condor  is  the  largest  bird  that  flies.  Its  wings 
spread  out  to  twice  the  height  of  a  man. 

The  ostrich  is  the  largest  bird.  Ostriches  can  run 
very  fast  and  men  have  ridden  on  them  as  on  horse- 
back. They  are  very  foolish  birds.  When  afraid 
they  put  their  heads  in  the  ground  and,  as  they  can- 
not then  see,  they  think  they  cannot  be  seen.  Their 
feathers  are  used  for  hat  plumes.  They  lay  eggs  as 
big  as  a  baby's  head. 

The  peacock  has  a  wonderfully  colored  tail  and 
walks  with  such  a  strut  that  we  say,  "  Proud  as  a  pea- 
cock." 

Doves  are  supposed  to  be  very  loving,  so  we  say, 
"  As  loving  as  doves." 

Sea  gulls  live  by  the  seashore ;  they  can  fly  far  and 
fast. 

The  eagle  is  a  strong,  bold  and  daring  bird.  It 
builds  its  nest  in  inaccessible  spots.  The  eagle  is  our 
national  bird.     It  is  on  several  of  our  coins. 

The  carrier  pigeon  is  so  attached  to  home  that  people 
use  him  to  send  messages.  They  take  him  away  from 
his  home,  tie  a  message  to  his  leg  and  then  release  him. 
He  will  fly  back  to  his  home,  even  if  he  has  been  carried 
hundreds  of  miles  from  it. 

264 


Information 

Mammals  are  animals  that  nurse  their  babies  with 
milk.  They  are  the  highest  kind  of  animal.  We  are 
mammals,    as    are    also    all    the    following    animals. 

Whales,  though  they  live  in  the  water,  are  not  fish, 
for  they  have  warm  blood,  no  scales,  must  have  air  to 
breathe  and  nurse  their  young.  Seals,  though  they 
also  live  in  the  water,  are  mammals. 

The  kangaroo  carries  its  baby  in  a  pouch  in  front. 

The  pig  is  the  dirtiest  and  greediest  of  animals. 
The  hippopotamus  is  a  huge  animal  of  the  same  fam- 
ily. 

Conundrum  :    "  When  is  a  boy  not  a  boy  ?  " 

Ans.     "  When  he  is  a  pig." 

The  elephant  is  the  largest  animal  on  the  earth.  He 
can  be  made  to  carry  great  loads  on  his  back  and  with 
his  trunk.  The  male  elephant  has  two  enormous  teeth 
called  tusks. 

Animals  that  chew  the  cud  are  those  that  swallow 
their  food  first  and  then  chew  afterwards.  They 
have  two  toes.  The  following  chew  the  cud.  A  camel 
has  two  humps.  A  dromedary  has  one  hump.  The 
deer  has  branched  horns.  The  sheep  is  shorn  for  his 
wool.  The  goat  is  kept  in  some  countries  for  his 
milk.  The  cow  is  the  most  useful  of  all  domestic  ani- 
mals. She  gives  milk  and  cream  from  which  butter 
and  cheese  are  made.  Her  hide  is  used  for  leather  and 
her  flesh  for  meat. 

Herbivorous  animals  are  those  that  eat  only  grass  or 
265 


Child  Training 

plant  life.  The  following  animals  are  herbivorous. 
The  horse  has  but  one  toe  —  a  hoof.  The  rabbit  likes 
young  and  tender  leaves.  The  squirrel  eats  nuts  which 
he  gathers  and  stores  for  the  winter.  Rats  and  mice 
eat  grain.  The  porcupine  has  quills  all  over  his 
back. 

Carnivorous  animals  are  those  that  eat  only,  or 
chiefly,  meat.  The  following  animals  are  carnivorous. 
Cats  like  places  rather  than  people  and  will  return 
to  their  home  after  they  have  been  carried  away.  They 
have  cushions  on  their  toes  so  that  they  can  creep  noise- 
lessly upon  their  prey.  When  they  are  angry  their 
claws  appear  and  they  w^ag  their  tails  and  arch  their 
backs.     When  they  are  pleased  they  purr. 

Tigers   and   lions   are   only   very   large   wild   cats. 

Dogs  are  the  most  intelligent  of  all  animals.  They 
have  a  very  powerful  sense  of  smell  by  which  they  can 
track  their  master  or  animals  for  long  distances.  They 
like  people  rather  than  places  and  become  firm  friends 
—  saving  children  from  drowning,  guarding  the  house 
against  thieves,  etc.  Cats  and  dogs  are  natural  ene- 
mies —  the  dog  fights  the  cat  and  the  cat  either  flees  or 
stands  its  ground. 

The  wolf  and  fox  belong  to  the  same  family.  Bears 
sleep  through  the  whole  winter.  The  polar  bear  is 
white  to  match  the  snow  where  he  lives,  so  that  he  can 
not  easily  be  seen  by  his  prey  when  he  is  hunting  for 
food. 

266 


Information 

Bats  are  not  birds  at  all.  They  are  covered  with 
fur  —  not  feathers.  Their  wings  are  merely  skin 
stretched  between  their  fingers.  They  sleep  in  the 
daytime  and  fly  at  night.     Learn  the  rime, 

Bat,  bat, 

Come  under  my  hat, 
And  I  '11  give  you  a  slice  of  bacon ; 

And  when  I  bake, 

I  '11  give  you  a  cake. 
If  I  am  not  mistaken. 

Monkeys  have  a  skeleton  almost  exactly  like  man's. 
They  use  their  feet  just  as  if  they  were  hands. 

Man  is  the  only  animal  that  naturally  walks  up- 
right.    Do  you  always  walk  upright? 


267 


READING  AND  WRITING 

When  the  child  is  about  six  years  of  age,  or  has 
finished  the  previous  course  of  training,  he  may  begin 
to  write  and  read.  If,  however,  the  following  work 
proves  too  much  of  an  ordeal,  or  if  he  is  uninterested, 
it  is  a  sign  that  he  is  still  too  young  and  after  a  fair 
trial  the  work  should  be  postponed. 

If  a  child  is  inquisitive  or  shows  curiosity  about 
words  or  letters  that  appear  conspicuously  on  bill 
boards,  street  signs,  newspaper  headings,  etc.,  asking 
what  letter  that  is  or  what  such  and  such  printed 
words  mean,  or  tries  to  write  letters  or  figures,  not 
merely  to  scribble,  thereby  displaying  an  interest  in  the 
language  arts,  it  is  usually  a  pretty  good  symptom  that 
he  is  ready  for  instruction  in  these  branches. 

Aristotle  says :  "  The  way  to  learn  to  play  the  harp 
is  to  play  the  harp." 

Likewise  the  way  to  learn  to  write  is  to  write  —  not 
to  begin  with  arm  movements,  up  and  down  strokes, 
or  even  practice  letters,  but  to  write  as  one  thinks  and 
speaks  —  in  words  and  sentences.  No  indirect  method 
of  approach  is  as  satisfactory  as  this.  It  is  the 
"  Royal  Road,"  *  the  pleasantest  and  shortest.     But 

*  Royal  Road  to  Reading  and  Writing  by  V.  M.  Hillyer. 

268 


Reading  and  Writing 

one  who  has  never  seen  such  a  method  tried,  might  ob- 
ject, "  A  child  just  beginning  does  not  know  his  al- 
phabet, nor  how  to  write  a  single  letter,  to  say  nothing 
of  words  and  sentences."  Very  true,  and  yet  no  nor- 
mal child  of  six  or  seven,  properly  taught  by  this 
method,  has  ever  failed  to  write  sentences  from  the 
start,  much  to  the  amazement  of  parents  and  confound- 
ing of  preconceived  ideas  on  the  subject. 

Following  are  given  the  50  Basal  sentences  that  are 
first  to  be  taught.  They  are  not  penmanship  copies 
but  models  for  the  teacher  who  teaches  them  as 
directed  below.  The  arrangement  is  not  alphabetical 
— nor  is  it  arranged  according  to  letter  forms, 
but  according  to  the  common  words  the  child  uses 
every  day  and  will  need  to  use  in  any  writing  or 
composition  he  does.  The  vocabulary  is  small,  about 
160  words,  not  guessed  at  but  chosen  after  actual  com- 
putation of  the  number  of  times  a  word  is  used  by  a 
child  of  six.  They  are,  therefore,  from  the  simplest 
categories  and  those  most  frequently  used, —  Work  and 
Play,  Time  and  Space,  Quality  and  Quantity,  Family 
Relations,  etc.  These  words  should,  of  course,  be  only 
the  beginning,  as  a  child  of  six  already  has  a  knowl- 
edge of  more  than  a  thousand  words,  but  it  is  the  ob- 
ject of  this  method  to  teach  the  children  these  basal 
words,  so  that  they  can  write,  read  and  spell  them  per- 
fectly, thus  forming  a  sure  foundation;  other  words 
they  will  acquire  as  the  necessity  arises,   if  the  ele- 

269 


Child  Training 

mental  ones  are  at  their  finger  tips  and  the  sounds  of 
the  various  combinations  of  letters  are  inseparably  as- 
sociated with  the  written  form. 

As  will  be  seen,  the  written  letter-forms  of  the 
models  approximate  print.  They  are  not  print,  how- 
ever, but  the  simplest  form  of  script,  conforming  as 
closely  as  is  practicable  to  the  historic  letters.  This 
alphabet  has  five  advantages : 

(i)  On  account  of  its  simplicity,  it  is  naturally  the 
most  legible; 

(2)  It  is  also  the  most  rapid,  as  it  is  freed  from  all 
superfluous  strokes; 

(3)  It  is  the  easiest  to  learn  on  account  of  its  simple 
lines; 

(4)  The  child  having  learned  the  script  can  read 
print  with  little  if  any  further  study,  as  the  two  are  so 
nearly  alike; 

(5)  His  own  individuality  and  character  can  and 
will  be  imposed  upon  the  writing  as  he  progresses.  If 
he  learns  the  complex  forms,  with  scrolls  and  tails 
which  some  one  else  has  added  to  the  original  historic 
forms,  he  must  throw  these  away,  go  back  to  first  prin- 
ciples and  start  anew  before  he  can  form  a  hand  dis- 
tinctly his  own. 

Whether  the  writing  is  vertical,  medial  or  slanting  is 
not  a  question  for  the  beginner.  It  is  as  natural  for 
rapid  writing  to  slant  as  for  a  runner  to  lean  forward, 
but  when  a  child  is  first  learning  to  walk,  he  is  not 

270 


Reading  and  Writing 

taught  to  lean  forward.  A  slight  slant  called  "  Me- 
dial "  is  not  objectionable,  and  each  pupil  will  gradu- 
ally tilt  his  letters  in  the  direction  of  the  writing  as  he 
gains  in  facility,  if  he  is  allowed  to  do  so,  but  he  should 
not  be  embarrassed  with  an  artificial  slant  when  taking 
his  first  steps. 

Large  writing  is  to  be  expected  at  first  (the  capitals 
not  less  than  one  inch  high,  the  small  letters  one-half 
inch),  as  the  finer  muscles  of  the  fingers  are  still  un- 
developed and  badly  controlled.  As  the  child  gains 
command  of  these  muscles,  however,  the  writing  may 
and  should  become  smaller,  and  accordingly  it  will  be 
noticed  that  the  copies  are  gradually  reduced  in  size. 
For  a  similar  reason  there  are  no  confusing  guiding 
lines  to  embarrass  the  beginner  and  restrict  his  free- 
dom. 


DIRECTIONS 

Ask  each  pupil  to  watch  and  listen  while  you  write 
something  for  him. 

( I )  Then  write  slowly  on  the  blackboard,  or  in  case 
of  an  individual  pupil,  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  in  a  very 
large  hand,  imitating  the  writing  given  on  p.  278. 

I  see  a 

In  place  of  a  word  at  the  end,  make  with  two  or 
three  strokes  a  quick,  simple  sketch  of  some  common 
object,  for  example,  a  ball,  a  cup,  a  ladder,  a  flag,  etc. 

271 


Child  Training 

Pronounce  each  word  very  slowly,  drawling  it,  as  you 
do  so. 

(2)  Ask  each  pupil  to  read  what  you  have  written. 
This  he  can  do  as  the  words  will  still  be  ringing  in  his 
ears. 

(3)  Write  again  and  have  each  pupil  follow  the 
writing  with  his  index  finger  as  if  it  were  a  pencil. 
Say  nothing  about  the  individual  letters  or  their 
names ;  merely  describe  the  direction  the  lines  take  and 
have  each  pupil  devote  his  sole  attention  to  the  forma- 
tion of  the  writing.  Re- write  the  sentence  in  this  way 
several  times,  making  a  different  sketch  of  the  object 
"I  see"  each  time,  then, 

(4)  Give  each  pupil  a  crayon  and  ask  him  to  zvrite 
the  sentence  on  a  blackboard,  or  sheet  of  blank  paper, 
pronouncing  each  word  as  he  does  so. 

Each  pupil's  first  attempt  may  be  almost  an  inde- 
cipherable scrawl  and  anything  but  a  good  copy,  but  do 
not  be  impatient  or  discouraged  with  the  first  results. 

(5)  Call  attention  to  the  proper  form  of  any  letter 
illegibly  written  thus : 

"  This  letter  (point  to  the  capital  I)  which  says  *  I ' 
stands  up  straight  as  I  do. 

"  To  make  this  word  which  says  '  see '  you  start  off 
and  up,  then  turn  down  and  back  (the  s),  then  make 
two  little  eyes  to  see  with  (the  two  e's),  and  so  on." 

Children  usually  have  difficulty  at  first  in  making 
loops  like  e,  1,  h,  etc.,  simply  because  the  hand  tends 

272 


Reading  and  Writing 

always  to  go  forward  and  it  is  unnatural  to  turn  back, 
as  is  necessary  in  such  loops.  Have  the  child  write 
the  sentences  over  and  over  and  over  again,  using  dif- 
ferent colored  crayon  each  time  to  give  added  zest  and 
keep  the  interest  fresh. 

Keep  him  practising  this  initial  sentence,  both  with 
and  without  the  copy,  until  it  is  readable,  even  if  it 
takes  several  days.  Do  not,  of  course,  limit  him  to  a 
single  sheet,  let  him  write  on  all  the  scrap  paper  he 
can  find.  If  a  child  can  find  none,  as  soon  as  he  feels 
he  is  really  writing,  writing  something  that  every  one 
can  read,  he  will  write  on  your  specially  reserved  sta- 
tionery, the  walls  and  floors  of  the  house,  the  doors 
and  fences,  even  on  the  ground.  When  he  has  finally 
succeeded,  and  not  until  then,  go  to  the  next  sentence 
and  teach  him  to  write  this  in  the  same  way. 

To  recapitulate,  the  method  to  be  used  for  each  suc- 
cessive sentence  is : 

(l)  Write  the  sentence  very  slowly,  and  as  you  do 
so,  drawl  each  word  so  as  to  sound  the  individual  let- 
ters. 

(2)  Have  the  pupil  read  your  copy,  also  drawling 
the  words. 

(3)  Have  him  practise  writing  the  copy,  drawling 
each  word  aloud  as  he  writes  it. 

(4)  Have  him  write   the  sentence  from  memory 
without  a  copy. 

Great  care  should  be  used  to  have  the  pupil  take  the 

27Z 


Child  Training 

proper  position  while  writing.  He  should  sit  facing 
front,  squarely  on  his  seat,  not  on  the  edge,  the  light 
coming  from  the  left  side  or  over  his  left  shoulder,  the 
inside  of  his  elbows  on  a  level  with  the  top  of  the  desk, 
head  up,  crayon  held  lightly  between  thumb  and  first 
two  fingers,  one  inch  from  point.  Each  pupil  should 
be  taught  to  hold  his  pencil  in  the  correct  way  at  the 
start,  for  it  is  almost  impossible  to  change  the  manner 
of  holding  the  pencil  after  a  certain  habit  is  acquired. 
The  pencil  should  be  held  lightly  about  an  inch  from 
the  point  between  the  thumb  and  first  two  fingers.  On 
account  of  the  difficulty  in  control  referred  to  above, 
the  natural  tendency  of  the  pupil  will  be  to  grip  the 
pencil.  Every  effort  should  be  made  to  lessen  this 
strangle  hold  as  soon  as  possible.  The  important  thing 
to  insist  on,  however,  is  that  the  first  finger  is  rounded 
up  and  that  nothing  touches  the  writing  surface  except 
the  4th  and  5th  finger  tips,  and  the  muscles  of  the 
lower  arm  —  not  the  side  of  hand  nor  the  side  of  the 
fingers  nor  the  wrist.  The  paper  should  be  directly  in 
front,  but  turned  slightly,  so  that  the  lower  edge  makes 
an  angle  of  about  45°  with  the  edge  of  the  desk,  and 
should  be  held  in  place  by  the  left  hand.  The  right 
hand  should  rest  lightly  on  the  fourth  and  fifth  fingers, 
and  the  arm  be  supported  by  the  muscles  of  the  lower 
arm ;  the  wrist  should  not  touch. 

When    the    sentence    which    reads,    "  My    name    is 

"  and  "  Your  loving  son,  ,"  is  reached, 

274 


Reading  and  Writing 

fill  in  the  space  with  a  good  copy  of  the  pupil's  name 
and  have  him  practise  writing  his  signature.  Call  at- 
tention to  the  difference  in  size  and  shape  of  the  letters 
that  begin  a  sentence  —  the  capitals  —  and  those  else- 
where, for  to  the  pupil  they  are  apparently  different 
letters.  Explain  when  a  question  mark  is  used  and 
when  a  period.  Have  each  pupil  always  do  his  best, 
but  do  not  expect  exact  or  perfect  copies  at  first;  if 
they  are  readable,  it  is  satisfactory. 

On  the  reverse  of  each  sheet,  after  the  first,  each 
pupil  should  write  a  composition  using  only  the  words 
he  has  learned  to  write,  but  just  as  many  of  those  as 
he  can,  varying  their  order  to  make  different  sentences. 
Thus,  after  the  third  sentence,  he  will  have  a  vocabu- 
lary of  seven  words,  which  he  can  write  and  read. 
These  can  be  combined  in  different  ways,  which  he 
should  suggest,  to  make,  beside  the  original  sentences, 
several  others,  thus  forming  a  "  composition."  Each 
so-called  "  composition  "  will  at  first,  therefore,  consist 
merely  of  sentences  in  which  all  the  changes  are  rung 
on  the  words  learned,  but  each  sentence  should  have 
a  little  more  variety  and  extent  as  the  new  words  are 
learned  and  become  available.  The  "  compositions  " 
based  on  the  first  twenty  sentences  should  be  in  the 
nature  of  a  dialogue  —  question  and  answer  —  in  the 
"  primer  "  style  suggested  by  the  models.  Those  based 
on  the  next  twenty  should  be  notes  or  letters  —  the 
most  valuable,   important  and   universally   demanded 

275 


Child  Training 

kind  of  composition.    Those  based  on  the  last  ten  may- 
be the  usual  descriptive  and  narrative  composition. 

As  each  pupil  progresses,  he  should  be  encouraged 
to  write  as  fully  as  he  can,  using  all  the  words  he  has 
learned  that  he  can  weave  into  sentences. 

If  a  pupil  needs  additional  words  and  asks  for  them, 
give  them  to  him  as  new  copy,  but  sparingly  and  not 
until  he  has  need  for  them  and  has  exhausted  those  he 
has  already  learned.  Crayon  may  be  used  for  the 
penmanship  practice,  but  only  pencil  for  the  composi- 
tion. All  the  copies  and  the  compositions  the  pupils 
write  should  be  saved,  and  re-read  by  them.  Compo- 
sitions should  be  exchanged  and  each  pupil  should  read 
the  other's. 

In  teaching  the  new  sentence,  if  each  word  is 
sounded  very  slowly,  letter  by  letter  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, as  previously  directed,  and  each  pupil  does  the 
same,  when  he  writes,  he  will  in  this  way  gradually 
and  unconsciously  but  surely,  learn  the  sounds  of  each 
group  of  letters  and  thus  acquire  the  key  to  reading 
new  words  as  well  as  the  old.  This  sounding  of  the 
letters  and  syllables  is  most  important  and  the  great- 
est emphasis  should  be  laid  upon  it  from  the  start. 

As  each  pupil  learns  to  write  each  sentence,  it  fol- 
lows that  he  learns  the  spelling  of  the  words  at  the  same 
time,  for  he  learns  to  know  and  recognize  the  letter 
forms  and  the  order  in  which  they  come,  but  without 
necessarily    knowing    their    names.     Learning    their 

276 


Reading  and  Writing 

names  is  a  simple  matter  if  the  letters  are  incidentally 
referred  to  by  their  names  when  attention  is  called  to 
their  forms  in  the  penmanship  practice.  In  this  way, 
therefore,  penmanship,  composition,  reading  and  spell- 
ing will  be  learned  altogether. 

The  copies  have  been  written  free  hand,  not  drawn 
or  engraved,  and  it  is,  therefore,  possible  for  pupils 
to  write  equally  well. 


277 


Child  Training 

BASAL   SENTENCES 

(The  following  sentences  are  to  be  written  with 
capitals  one  inch,  small  letters  one-half  inch:) 

The  following  copies  are  from  "  Royal  Road  to 
Writing,"  copyright,  by  V.  M.  Hillyer: 


AtMJ/OU/. 
1 


(jmUyMyTfU/ 


? 


AUyO/ 


cnw  mwMh 


;t,? 


278 


Reading  and  Writing 


t  Uv  0/  hn  I 


JyUuM/iUJWVvxMl 


fuAlACO 


[A  uouA/ m/mi: 


7 


M 


m/nw  uv 


379 


Child  Training 


I 
mwpmM 


liru/? 


Uj 


DA 


vm 


? 


0. 


I  V.       I 


uhJu. 


yhAv  (Mly  \MMAyt}[maA 


? 


280 


Reading  and  Writing 


T; 


oM/cwmwy. 


cwi/mwa/n/u  d 


0/ coAy  a/nxx/ 0/ 


m/m 


iMoml 


I  Tl/OA  CO  rWZb  MMIV. 


281 


Child  Training 

(The  following  sentences  are  to  be  written  with  cap- 
itals ^  of  an  inch,  small  letters  ^  of  an  inch :) 


Wlot  a/w  iMw  am/m  ta  cLj  '{um'^. 


\jmb(Mn/m 


my  cmm  ta  umli/  o/  wJjUb. 


DmJb  mAhjb,  WmoAv  mihi 


? 


AOTL/. 


])\Aj\mhaj^  mJUA/i 


282 


Reading  and  Writing 


m  fi/Mmw  Ou  Imh  \lmw  hjuu. 


UwridaM  \  cww  duAAjCAV, 


yionAmj  I  urniL  (^ItcfMliwl. 


'TmJKA/m  \L  AmmiAy  cM/  (MW 


\JmfmJ)dum  llw  MM/  oamw  auly. 


283 


Child  Training 


^hjiAAcLoAA  it  ura(y  Wvu  Twt. 


[ 


\aA/mj  I  toryh  Ou  Aruyil  uralL. 


Ootu/iAn/u  ( plnAjui  all  mjolmi^ 


n  thy  omMwrnv  I  Xovhy  Ou  JuAju, 


\jjJ:M^     I  umit  djovnv  t/yunv. 


284 


Reading  and  Writing 


o-dcwi  I  rwoAh  MrwuM/nn  :^  mvu 


V^QAi  nwM/  I  tlummil  (jy  mw. 


ivajtv  WMb  CO  daAIm  cwml  ^!jmj^ 


Wb  mw  Mh  WW  rruvoh/. 


\l 


oAiy  ajrnm/Ji  hjjcL  Aamy. 


28s 


Child  Training 

(The  following  sentences  are  to  be  written  with  cap- 
itals one-half  inch,  small  letters  one- fourth  inch:) 


0\jiAy  ^vcmMy  M/^  arbtmytan^  ot  cu-rult. 


Up^ifcx/t/iA  umAjiA/  tfu/  Axrut  i6/  nu|  vuiMnmo, 


OwyUwwuU/oAv  p^x>ti^^uA.  oi  wi^ 


3u  Uvb  dxnfi/  cUw  cty  cawjA  amxL  Oy  taJAjiy. 


I  WW  to-  -Wfc  out  oi  tkb  wvndour. 


286 


Reading  and  Writing 


locuriy  AUyUrUy  Au/r\yAdy  aWi/Uiv  lAjjAy. 


Ylvi  iuAtiAyb/  ruJAwtluAAy  Amro/  iwxtto  irwruy. 


Atv  old/  oJ/ych^  AtamAA^  \jr\y  tfw  tulVL. 


I  Uwnhy  I  nmxrur  \wur  to-  hit  tmuy. 


frrb  cmiAj  Ai/%/  iwaAA/  old  iMxt !  cmm/  amuL. 

287 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Accordion  (paper  work),  206 

Accuracy,  81,  186 

Acting   a    Picture,   54 

Acting,  Two   Part,  64 

Action  in  Stories,  no 

Adenoid  Growths,  132 

Air,  252 

Altering  Card,  50 

Ambidexterity,  189 

Ambition,  xxv 

Angles,  245 

Animals,  258  fif 

Answering  Three  Questions,  75, 

Ants,  259 

Appeal  to  Right,  xxiii 

Apple  (modeling),  190 

"  April  Showers,"  154 

Arranging  Colors,  45,  46 

Arteries,  232 

"  As  I  was  going  to  St.  Ives," 

153 
"  As  round  as  an  apple,"  68 
Associating  Ideas,  65,  66 
Association  Drills,  65  ff 
Astigmatism,  121 
Astronomy,  251 
"At  Ease"  Position,  128,  129 
Athletic  Plays,  174  ff 
Attention  Drills,  72  ff 

"  Ba-a,  ba-a,  black  sheep,"  142 
Baby  Talk,  102 
Ball   (modeling),  igo 
Balloons   (drawing),  197 


Balloons  (painting),  198 

Baric  Sense,  41 

Barn  (paper  work),  202 

Basal  Sentences,  278  ff 

Bats,  267 

"  Bat,  bat,"  267 

Baths,  120 

Bean  Bag,  181 

Bear,  266 

Bed   (paper  work),  206 

Beds,  236 

Bees,  260 

Beetles,  261 

Bells,  Suspended,  175 

Birds,  263 

"  Blind  Man's  Buff,"  40 

Bluebird    (painting),   195 

Boat  (modeling),  193 

Body,  The,  230  ff 

Bogies,  108,  no 

Bone,  233 

Books  (paper  work),  202 

Bow    and    Arrow     (drawing), 

212 
"  Bow,  wow,  wow,"  153 
Brain  Paths,  xv 
Brain  Power,  xv 
Brass,  254 

"  Brave"  (song),  167 
Bread,  235 
Breaking  Habits,  82 
Breathing,  129,  132 
"  Brow  bender,"  230 
Butterflies,  259 
"  Bye  baby  Bunting,"  143 


291 


Index 


Calisthenic  Drills,  129  ff 

Camel,  265 

Candle,  239 

Candle  (drawing),  200 

Candlestick  (modeling),  193 

Capacity,  Measures  of,  243 

Capital  Letters,  275 

Carnivorous  Animals,  266 

"Cat  and  Rat"   (game),  179 

Cats,  266 

Cat's  Cradle,  209 

Case  (paper  work),  205 

Cereal,  235 

Chain  (modeling),  193 

Chains  (paper  work),  201 

Chairs,  etc.,  236 

Charades,  64 

Chest,  232 

China,  236 

Christmas,  213 

Church  (drawing), 199 

Clams,  258 

Clay  Work,  190  flf 

Cleaning  up  Room,  32 

Clothing,  233,  234 

Cloud,  253 

Coal,  254 

Color  Finding,  48 

Colors,  Three  Primary,  193 

Color  Work,  193  ff 

Common  Courtesies,  88  ff 

Compass,   Points  of,  246 

Composition,  275,  276 

Concentration,  xxxii  ff,  186 

Concentration  Drills,  73  ff 

Conditions  for  Training,  xvii 

Conumdrums,  67,  68 

Conversation,  90  ff 

Conversation  Rules,  93 

Conversation,  Two  Minute,  69 

Cooking,  220 

Copper,  254 

Cornucopias,  212 


Corporal  Punishment,  xxix 

Cotton  Cloth,  232 

Counting  and  Clapping,  yy 

Courage,  82 

Course   of   Training   Outlined, 

xviii,  xix 
Courtesy,  81 
Cow,  265 
Crabs,  259 

Cradle  (paper  work),  206 
Cream,  235 
Cricket,  260 

Criticizing  Incongruities,. 54,  55 
Crown  (paper  work),  205 
Cube  (modeling),  191 
Cup   and    Saucer    (modeling), 

193 

Curls  (paper  work),  208 

"  Curly  locks !     Curly  locks  I  " 

145 
Cylinder  (modeling),  191 

Daddy-long-legs,  261 

Daffy-down-dilly,  142 

Dangerous  Plays,  171 

Dart  (paper  work),  203 

Days  of  the  Week,  242 

Deer,  265 

Describing  a  Child,  51 

Describing  a  Person,  51 

Describing  a  Picture,  52 

Design  (paper  work),  203,  204 

Diamond,  254 

Diet,  121 

"  Ding  dong,  bell !  "  148 

Dogs,  266 

Dolls,  178 

Double  Boat  (paper  work),  208 

Doves,  264 

Drawing  Out,  225,  226 

Dromedary,  265 

Dropping  Medicine,  74 

Drum  (modeling),  191 


292 


Index 


Ducks,  263 
Duties,  30,  31 

Eagle,  264 

Ear,  232 

"  Early  to  bed,"  154 

Eel,  262 

"  Eeney,    meeny,    miney,    mo," 

179 
Egg  (modeling),  192 
Eggs,  235 
Electricity,  240 
Elephant,  265 
Emulation,  xxv 
Enimciation,   loi 
Envelope  (paper  work),  215 
Exercises  (physical),  123  fif 
Eye,  231 
Eyes,  Care  of,  121 

Faces  (drawing),  201 
Fairy  Tales,  108 
Family,   The,  249 
Fan  (paper  work),  203 
Fanciful  Tales,  107,  108 
"Farmer  in  the  Dell"   (song), 

166 
Fatigue,  124,  129 
Feeling  Fabrics,  .  . 
Feeling  Materials,  40 
Feeling  Paper,  42 
Feet,  233 

Finding  and  Replacing,  43,  44 
Finding  and  Replacing,  Rapid, 

45 
Finding  Book,  45 
Finding  Hidden  Pictures,  55 
Finding  in  the  Dark,  41,  42 
Finding,  Rapid,  44 
Fire,  239 
Firefly,  261 
Fish,  262 
Flat  Foot,  127 


Flies,  259 

Flowers  (drawing),  199 

Flowers,  255,  256 

Fog,  253 

Folk  Dances,  163 

Food,  234  ff 

Foot  Stool   (paper  work),  202 

Forehead,  231 

"  For  every  evil  under  the  sun," 
159 

Fork  (paper  work),  208 

Forms,  Geometrical,  246 

"  For  want  of  a  nail,"  159 

Fox,  266 

Frame  (paper  work),  204 

Fresh  Air,  120 

Frogs,  262 

Fruits,  235,  256 

Fruits  (drawing),  198 

Furniture   (drawing),  199 

Furniture,  236  ff 

Furniture,  Bedroom  (draw- 
ing), 200 

Furnishings,  Table  (drawing), 
199 

Free  Play,  171 

Games,  174 
with  Apparatus,  181 
without  Apparatus,  179 

Generalities,  91 

Geography,  247 

Geology,  253 

Glass,  237 

Magnifying,  237 

Goat,  265 

"  Going  to  Jerusalem,"  180 

Gold,  254 

Good  Humor,  225 

"  Goosey,  goosey,  gander,"  157 

Goody-Goody  Talcs,  xxv 

Government,  249 

Granite,  254 


293 


Index 


Grasshopper,  261 
Greetings,  86 
Group  Training,  xvii 
Growth,  Table  of,  123 
Gull,  264 
Guessing  Picture,  53 

Habits,  Breaking  of,  11  ff 
Habit  Drills,  3  ff,  81 
Habits,  Forming,  7  ff 

Good  and  Bad,  5,  6 

Nature  of,  3  ff 

Repetition,  7 

Voluntary  and  Involuntary,  8 
Hail,  253 
Hand,  233 
Hardening,  119,  120 
Haste,  xxxi 
Head,  231 

Health  Requisites,  119 
Hat   (modehng),   193 
Hat  (paper  work),  215 
Hearing  Simultaneous  Orders, 

79 

Heart,  232 

Hearts  (paper  work),  215 

"  He  can  do  little,"  57,  S8 

Height,  Table  of,  123 

Herbivorous  Animals,  265,  266 

"Here  we  go  Round  the  Mul- 
berry Bush"  (song),  166 

Hero  Stories,  107 

"Hey,  diddle,  diddle,"  142; 
(song),  165 

"  Hickory,  dickory,  dock,"  147, 
241 

Hide  and  Seek,  180 

High  Rail,  174 

History,  242,  243 

Holly,  214 

Honors,  xxx 

Hoops,  176 

Horse,  266 


Horseshoe   (modeling),  193 

House  (paper  work),  202 

House    (modeling),    191 

Houses  (drawing),  199 

Housekeeping,  219 

How  to  Study,  36,  223,  224 

Humorous  Stories,  107 

"  Humpty  Dumpty,"  69 

Hunting  Coin,  50 

"  Hush  a  bye  baby,"  149 

Ice,  252 

"  If  all  the  seas  were  one  sea  !  " 

158 
"  If  all  the  world  were  apple 

pie,"  147 
"  If  wishes  were  horses,"  158 
"  I  had  a  little  pony,"  143 
"  I  '11  tell  you  a  story,"  145 
Imaginary  Scene,  71 
Imagination  Drills,  70  ff 
Imitating,  63,  64 
Imitation  Drills,  6^  ff 
Imitative  Plays,  177* 
Independence,  187 
Independent  Recitation,  228 
Indian-Footed,  127 
Industry,  81 
Information,  92,  223  ff 
Informational  Stories,   109 
Inhibition,  22 
Initiative,  81 
Insects,  259  ff 

Instruction,  Method  of,  224  ff 
Intonation,  100 
Introducing,  89 
Iron,  254 
"I  won't,"  xxviii 

"Jack  and  Jill,"  144 
"Jack  Sprat,"  147 
"  Jack  Straws,"  73,  74 
Joints,  233 


294 


Index 


Jumping  off  place,  174 
Jumping  Rope,  136 

Kangaroo,  265 
Knives,  237 
Kjiot,  Blood,  209 

Bow,  210 

Chain,  211 

Figure  8,  210 

"  Granny,"  210 

Overhand,  209 

Reef,  210 

Slip,  211 

Twist,  211 
Knotting,  209  ff 

Bead,  212 

Ladder,  Horizontal,  176 

"  Lady  bird !  lady  bird !  "  261 

Lamp  (drawing),  200 

Lamplighter  (paper  work),  208 

Lantern  (paper  work),  201 

Leaf  (painting),  195 

Leather,  234 

Left  Handedness,  187,  188 

Lemon  (painting),  195 

Lemon  (modeling),  192 

Length,  Measures  of,  243 

Lesson,  Sample,  226 

Light,  2Z-7  ff 

Lightning,  253 

Limestone,  253 

Linen,  234 

Lines,  Horizontal,  245 

Parallel,  245 

Vertical,  244 
Lion,  266 
Lisping,  104 
"Little     Bo-peep,"     141,     142; 

(song),  165 
"Little  Boy  Blue,"  143 
"  Little  fishey  in  a  brook,"  149 
"  Little  Jack  Horner,"  143 


"  Little  Miss  Muffett,"  142 
"Little  Nan  Etticoat,"  239 
"Little  Tom  Tucker,"  144 
Lizard,  263 
Lobsters,  259 

Magnetism,  240 

Mail,  249 

Make  Believe,  70,  71,  72 

Mammals,  265 

Man,  267 

Manual  Plays,  174,  176,  177 

[Manual  Training,  185  ff 

Marching,  132,  133.  134 

"Mary,  Mary,  quite  contrary," 

145 
Matching  Fabrics,  46 
Matching  Notes,  62 
Meals,  121 
Meat,  2y:, 

Tilemorizing,  78,  79 
Memory  Training,  xv 
Mental  Suggestion,  xxiv 
Mental  Training,  xv 
Merry-go-Round,   176 
Messages,  Carrying,  27,  28 
Meteorology,  252 
Milk,  235 
Mirror,  238 
Mitten  (painting),  194 
"Monday's  Child,"  242 
Money,  250 
Monkeys,  267 
Moon,  237,  252 
Moral  Training,  xxii  ff 
Mosquitoes,  260 
Moths,  259 
Mouth,  232 
Mud  Pies,  212 
Muscle,  233 
Muscular  Sense,  41,  42 
"My  Shadow"  (song),  168 
Mystery  in   Stories,   no 


295 


Index 


Nagging,  9 

Napkins  (paper  work),  208 
Natural  Consequences,  xxix 
Natural  Plays,  171 
Nearsightedness,  121 
Neatness,  186 
Nerve  Cells,  xv 
Nest  (modeling),  192 
Nose,  232 

Nose    Pincher    (paper    work), 
207 


Obedience  Drills,  I4flf 
Obedience,  Necessity  of,  14 
Observation  Drills,  35  fif 
Object  Seeing,  42 
Observing  Changes,  51,  52 
Observing  Neighborhood,  55,  56 
Obstacle  Race,  135 
Occupations,  218  fif,  251 
"Old  King  Cole,"  145 
"  Old  Mother  Twitchett,"  68 
"  One  mdsty,  moisty  morning," 

147 
"  One,   two,   buckle  my  shoe," 

153 
Open  Air,  120 
Opinions,  92 
Orange  (painting),  194 
Order,  186 
Order     and     Neatness     Drills, 

32  ff 
Orders,  Double,  23 

Double  Deferred,  23 

Future,  29 

Judgment,  27 

Time,  28,  30 
Ostrich,  264 

Outdoor  Occupations,  220 
Over  Habituation,  11 
Owls,  264 
Oysters,  258 


Pantomime,  63 

Paper  Folding  and  Cutting,  201 

"  Patty-a-cake,       Patty-a-cake," 

141 
Peacock,  264 
Pear  (modeling),  193 
Pearl,  254 

"  Pease  porridge  hot,"  152 
Periods,  xxxv,  xxxvi 
"  Peter  Piper,"  147 
"Peter  White,"  158 
Philopena,  78 
Physical  Training,  ii9fif 
Pig,  265 
Pigeon,  264 
Pillow  Fighting,  172 
Pillow,  Use  of,  128 
Pin  Wheel  (paper  work),  204 
Plaiting,  211 
Plants,  255  fif 
Play  House,  A,  178 
Poinsettia       Leaves        (paper 

work),  214 
"Polite"    (song),   167 
Porcupine,  266 
Posing  as  a  Picture,  53,  54 
Posture,  125 
Potato  (modeling),  191 
Pouring  in  and   Drawing  out, 

225,  226 
Presentation,  224,  225 
Prisms,  Glass,  238 
Prizes,  xxx 

Programs,  xxxv,  xxxvi 
Prohibitions,    22,    24,    25,    28, 

29 
Punctuality,  86 
Punctuation,  275 
Punishments,  xxv 
Punning,  67 

"  Pussy  cat,  pussy  cat,"  143 
"  Pussy  wants  a  corner,"  180 
Putting  things  in  place,  32 


296 


Index 


Quiet  Orders,  19 

Quiz  Questions,  229,  230 

Quoits,  181 

Races,  248 
Rain,  253 

Rainbow   (painting),  196 
"  Rainbow  at  Night,"  253 
Rapid  Copying,  74,  75 
Rats,  266 
Reaction,  225,  226 
Reaction  Time,  xxxi 
Reading  and  Writing,  268  ff 
Reciting  and  Counting,  78 
Religious  Exercises,  87 
Repeating  List,  79 
Repetition  in  Stories,  no 
Reptiles,  263- 
Rewards,  xxx 
Rhythmic  Arts,  141  flf 
"  Ride  a  cock-horse,"  152 
Riddles,  68,  69 
Right,  Appeal  to,  xxiii 
Rimes,  141  ff 
Riming,  66 
Romancing,  71 
Rope,  Climbing,  175 

Jumping,  176 
Round  Shoulders,  128 
Routine  of  Training,  xx 
Running,  135 
Running  Wild,  119 

Salt,  236 

Salt  Cellar  (paper  work),  207 

Sand  Pile,  178 

Sandstone,  253 

School  Subjects,  223 

Scolding,  xxix 

Screen  (paper  work),  202 

Seals,  265 

Secret  Keeping,  25,  26 

Selecting  Material,  46,  47 


Self  Punishment,  xxvi,  xxvii 

Self  Respect,  xxiii,  xxiv,  xxix 

Sense  Training,  xv 

Setting  Belongings  in  Order,  34 

Setting  Cupboard  in  Order,  34 

Setting  Desk  in  Order,  33 

Setting  Room  in  Order,  22 

Setting  Table,  34 

Sewing,  219 

Sex,  xiv 

Shaming,  xxix 

Shark,  262 

Sheep,  265 

Shields  (paper  work),  215 

"  Shop  Window,"  48,  49 

Shovel  (paper  work),  208 

Sight  Seeing,  49,  50 

Silk,  234 

Silver,  254 

"  Simon  Says  Thumbs  Up,"  29 

Simple  Deferred  Orders,  21 

Simple  Orders,  16  ff,  20 

"  Simple  Simon,"  144 

"  Sing  a  song  of  sixpence,"  148 

Singing  Games,  162,  163 

Singing  the  Scale,  62 

Sitting  Postures,  126 

Skipping,  134 

Slanting  Writing,  270,  271 

Sleep,  120 

Sleeping  Positions,  128 

Slide,  Foot,  175 

Sliding,  173 

Sliding  Board,  174 

Smelling,  38 

Snails,  258 

"Snake"  (game),  180 

Snakes,  263 

"  Sneeze  on  Monday,"  158 

Snow,  253 

Social  Intercourse,  85 

Soil,  254 

"  Solomon  Grundy,"  158 


297 


Index 


"  Some  little  mice,"  144 

Songs,  160  ff 

Sorting   Books,   33 

Sorting  Miscellaneous  Articles, 

33 

Sorting  Papers,  33 

Sound,  240 

Sounding  Words,  276 

Speaking  and  Listening,  80 

Spectrum  (painting),  196 

Speech,  100  ff 

Speed,  XXX  ff 

Speed  and  Nervousness,  xxxiii 

Spelling,  276 

Spices,  236 

Spider,  261 

Spirit,  xxii 

Sponge,  258 

Spools  (paper  work),  208 

Spring  Board,  175 

Squirrel,  266 

"  Stage  Coach,"  76 

Stammering,  102,  103 

Standing  Positions,  126 

Stars  (paper  work),  213 

Stars,  237,  252 

Star  Fish,  258 

Stationery,  237 

Stilts,  175 

Stomach,  233 

Stories,  List  of,  III  ff 

Story  Telling,  xxv 

"  Stranger  in  Town,"  57 

String  Work,  209  ff 

Stuttering,  102,  103 

St.  Valentine's  Day,  214 

Sugar,  236 

Sun,  237 

Sun  and  Moon  (drawing) 
200 

Swing,  17s 

Syllabus  of  Information  Les- 
sons, 230  ff 


Table  (paper  work),  202 
Table  Manners,  90 
Tag,  179 
Tasting,  36,  37 
Tattling,  29 

Teapot  (modeling),  193 
Teeter,  176 
Teeth,  232 

care  of,  122 
Temper,  xxvii,  xxviii 
Ten  Pins,  181 
Tent  (paper  work),  204 
Thanksgiving,  212 
"  The   house  that  Jack  built," 

149 
"  The  lion  and  the  unicorn,"  146 
"  The  man  in  the  moon,"  146 
"  The  moon  is  round,"  58 
"The  north  wind  doth  blow," 

152 
"  The  Queen  of  Hearts,"  157 
"There  was  a   crooked   man," 

152 
"There  was  a  little  man,"  159 
"  There    was    a    man    in    our 

town,"  146 
"  There   was   an   old   woman," 

147 
"  There   was    an    old    woman," 

154 
Thermometer,  252 
"Thirty  days  hath  September," 

242 
"  Thirty  white  horses,"  68 
"This  little  pig,"  231 
Thousand-legs,  261 
Threading  Needle,  73 
Threats,  xxiv,  xxviii 
"  Three  children  sliding,"  156 
"  Three  wise  men  of  Gotham," 

146 
Throat,  232 
Thunder,  253 


298 


Index 


Tigers,  266 

Time,  241 

Time  Limit,  xxxi  flf 

Timely  Topics,  91 

"Time  to  rise"  (song),  168 

Toads,  262 

Toeing  Out,  127 

"Tom  he  was  a  piper's  son," 

144 
Tools  (drawing),  200 
Toys,  178 

Transportation,  247 
Trapeze,  175 
Tray  (paper  work),  207 
Trees,  257,  258 
Trolley,  175,  176 
Trough  (paper  work),  206 
Tug  of  War,  136-137 
Tuning  a  String,  62 
Tuning  Glasses,  61 
Turtle,  263 
"Twinkle,  little  star"   (song), 

165 
"Two    Pigeons    flymg    high," 

236 

Understanding    and    Counting, 

Unselfishness,  81 
Untangling  a  Snarl,  74 
Upright  Position,  125,  129 
"Useful"   (song),  167 
Utensils,    Kitchen     (drawing), 
200 

Vegetables,  235 


Vegetables  (drawing),  198 
Veins,  232 

Vertical  Writing,  270,  271 
Violet  (painting),  195 
Voice,  lOl 

Walking,  132 

Wallow,  A,  175 

Washboard  (paper  work),  203 

Washington's  Birthday,  215 

Water,  235 

Weather,  91 

Weighing,  41 

Weights,  Measure  of,  244 

Weight,  Table  of,  123 

Whale,  262 

Whales,  265 

"  What  Animal  is  it?  "  61 

"What    are    little    boys    made 

of?"  157 
What  Do  You  Hear?  59 
What  Makes  the  Sound  ?  60 
Whispering  in  Company,  99 
"Who    killed    Cock    Robin?" 

154  ff 

Who  Speaks?  60 

Willow  Plate,  236 

Wind  Mill  (paper  work),  207 

Window,  Stained  Glass  (paint- 
ing), 196,  197 

Wrapping  Book,  214 

Writing  Position,  273,  274 

Wolves,  266 

Woolen  Cloth,  234 

Worms,  258 


299 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 

THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


WAR  7 


FormL-9-20//(-8,'37 


1115     KiiJ-^^- 


Mil   III  III  II 

AA    000  782  720 


LB 
1115 
H55c 
1915 


=?ANCH, 

ALIFORNIA, 


CALJF. 


